A Summoner's Sadness
by Hunnypooh
Summary: Neglected and unloved by his family after his brother, Alex, is mistakenly named the boywholived on that fateful Halloween night, Harry Potter runs away, and his life takes unexpected turn when it is saved by a black mage named Lulu. HP/FFX Xover.
1. Chapter 1

AN: I know, I know! "Why the hell am I starting a new story?" I have no idea myself; I just had this idea in my head and wrote it down on a piece of paper to make a story out of. I'm also thinking of another as well, so look out for it. I don't know where I will be going with this so I don't know how long this one will go on. Well anyway.

This story is AU on both sides of this crossover. Just so you know Yuna probably won't exist in this fic, so fans of her might not like this. This is like so many others before it, but I have done something to it that nobody has done yet. For this story, you might want to have Al Bhed translator nearby. No pairings right now but maybe later as the story progresses.

"Talk"

'Thoughts'

**A Summoner's Anguish**

**Chapter 1**

Sadness…

Heartbroken…

Unloved…

Misery…

Harry never thought that he could feel these emotions at the same time at such a young age, but he was. He was only five years old after all. He knew he shouldn't be feeling these emotions, but he couldn't help it.

He just couldn't help it when he looked at them.

His _family_.

Like he could really call them his family anymore. They didn't act like one. Well, towards him at least.

It took him only a few years to realize that his mother and father did not love him. Or if they did, they never showed it. They gave all their love, time, and affections to his twin brother, Alex.

Alex Potter: the so-called Boy-Who-Lived. Everyone in the wizarding world praised him for his defeat of Lord Voldemort when he was only one on that fateful Halloween night. Everyone thought that he would be destined for greatness. But Harry knew better.

Harry knew that it wasn't his brother who had caused Voldemort's downfall. It had been him all along. Harry was the only one who remembered what had happened…

_**Flashback**_

_**October 31**_

Lily and James Potter walked into their house, each carrying one of their twin sons, Alexander and Harrison Potter. Both of them were wearing an adorable lion costume, had whiskers painted on their faces, and their nose painted black. It was eight o' clock; an hour over their bedtimes, and the infants were already falling asleep in their parents' arms. Without wasting any time to put the twins to sleep, they wiped off their faces, changed them for bed, and put them in their cradles to go to sleep. With a tender kiss to each forehead from both parents, they walked outside the twins' shared nursery and softly closed the door.

Lily and James decided to snuggle on the couch in their living room. It was nice that they were finally able to have some fun. They weren't able to leave their house very much ever since they learned of the prophecy that possibly included one of their sons. Not long after they were born, they were forced to go into hiding because of a prophecy that Dumbledore had told them.

Not even two hours had gone by before they heard one of the twins crying. Lily jumped up and vigorously walked into the nursery. Harry was wriggling in his cradle, his sheets starting to wrap themselves around his lithe form. Lily rushed to him and pulled him in a warm embrace as he shrieked his lungs out. She spared a look at her other child to see that he was sleeping peacefully despite the noise. She carried Harry out of the room and into the living room where James was still sitting, whispering sweet nothings in his ears to pacify the restless baby. James looked at her in surprise when the infant refused to calm down and was still squirming in Lily's arms.

"What's wrong with him?" James asked in worry as he stood up to help his wife.

"I don't know." She answered distractedly. She felt his diaper, "He doesn't need a new diaper and he's not hungry."

They spent about ten seconds trying to soothe Harry when they felt the house shake faintly. A vase fell from a stand and broke in numerous pieces. James sighed at the mess, "I'll get it." He said wearily over the screaming infant. As he walked over to the pieces, the house shook more forcefully. James stopped in his tracks.

"What was that?" Lily asked anxiously over Harry as she lightly bounced him up and down. She was really starting to get worried. Harry was usually a very quiet baby; never really making a sound while his brother was the loud one. But his crying didn't seem to be lightening up and instead was becoming worse. The house shook harder.

And that's when it happened.

The outside of the front door started to glow an ominous white before it was blown right off its hinges. The next thing they saw was a pair of eyes glow a bright blood red and they knew immediately who it was causing the disturbance.

Lord Voldemort.

"Lily! It's him! Run! Take Harry and Alex and run! I'll hold him off!" James yelled in earnest taking out his wand as Voldemort advanced into the house.

"But James-"

"Don't argue Lily! Just go!"

Lily hesitated before running upstairs to the nursery. She closed the door and magically locked it. She ran to Alex, who had finally awoken during the commotion and was crying lightly in his crib. She picked him up and cradled them both to her chest just as the door was blown open by _him_. The force of the blow sent Lily to her knees, but she still held her babies close. She hadn't noticed that Harry had become eerily silent while Alex was whimpering at sight of the man.

"Give me the children, woman, or you will regret it." The man said in a spine-chilling high voice.

"No please! Not Harry and Alex! Please! Take me instead! Just don't kill them!" Lily started to beg.

The man let loose a sinister high cackle before brandishing his wand at the woman. A flash of bright red and the mother fell to the ground in a dead faint; the children falling out of her arms as she dropped. Alex's started crying while Harry just looked at the man with wide inquiring emerald eyes.

The man's red eyes narrowed as he looked at Alex before landing his gaze upon Harry. He walked slowly towards him. For some reason, Harry did not look scared; he just sat and stared with that same questioning look in his eyes. He stopped only a few inches away from the sitting infant; his green eyes still staring into his red. He pointed his wand at the child.

Harry's eyes never left his as he shouted, "Avada Kedavra."

Harry was surrounded by a bright light. The green light that had shot towards froze ats it hit the shield and then rebounded back at the man. The man was so shocked that he didn't move out of the way in time and was shot directly in the chest by the bright green light.

The explosion from the rebounded curse cause the roof to give out slightly; pieces of wood falling from the ceiling. Harry was thrown back by the force of the spell but his fall was cushioned by a pillow that had fallen from a broken crib. One piece of wood fell on Alex's head, making a heart shaped scar on his forehead and knocking him out.

**End of Flashback**

When help finally got there, all they saw was Alex closer to the body of Voldemort and Harry across the room. Dumbledore made the assumption that Alex was behind Voldemort's downfall because of the Alex's placement. He did a magic check on Alex and found that he had small traces of dark magic on him. That was all the proof he needed or wanted. And nobody questioned him because bedsides the fact that it had been Dumbledore who bequeathed it to be true, Alex was the eldest born, so it was natural that the eldest would want to protect his younger brother.

But if he had bothered to make a check on Harry, he would have found that Harry had a lot more traces of dark magic that Alex.

But he didn't. And that's why Harry is all alone in his room on his fifth birthday while his brother and parents were downstairs having a birthday party all for him. They never noticed him anymore. All they saw was Alex. All they thought about was Alex. All they talked about was Alex.

Alex did this.

Alex did that.

Alex, Alex, Alex…

Their parents praised Alex for doing things that Harry had been doing long before Alex had even thought to do it.

Never Harry. Even his own godfather, Sirius, never thought of him. Whenever he came over, all he wanted to see was Alex.

It took Harry a short while to realize that no one loved him.

Well, not exactly no one. There was Uncle Moony. His godfather.

Moony was the only one who saw him; who cared for; who played with him; who gave him presents for his birthday. In fact, Harry was pretty sure that Remus was the only who would care or notice if he died or not. Moony was the one that taught him how to read at such a young age and was always giving him novels and books on magic. Remus made Harry feel as loved as much as he could.

Moony would have been there for his birthday but Harry had heard earlier that he was sick so he couldn't make it. That made Harry feel even worse about his day. First his parents had only woke up Alex to give him his birthday breakfast. Harry woke up about an hour later to see that Alex was already opening the gigantic piles of present that the wizarding world as well as his parents had given him and there was no breakfast for him at the table. Harry had gotten two gifts, both of them from his godfather: a book on magical theory and a necklace of a silver wolf with amber eyes. Just like Remus'.

And now he was in his room; alone in silence listening to the commotion that was going on downstairs while trying to read his new book about transfiguration. Everyone was laughing and playing around. They didn't even notice that he wasn't there.

His heart, if it was even more possible, broke even more as he thought that he didn't belong there.

Then he made a decision that he wasn't sure was wise or not.

He decided to run away. It's not like anyone would notice that he was gone. So what's wrong with just up and leaving?

With that in mind, he put his book down and walked out of his small room. He didn't bring anything except for the necklace that his Uncle Moony gave him. He didn't have anything else worth taking with him. He walked downstairs. He saw his family and godfather sitting in the living room. All the adults sat around Alex as he played with his new toy snitch. Harry's heart twisted more as he watched. A tear escaped one of his eyes as he walked to the back door in the kitchen.

'Sorry Moony.' He hesitated for a moment before taking the plunge and walking outside in the cold night air. The crescent moon was above his head and shined down on his face as he ran further out into the yard. He felt a tingle of resistance as he ran past the wards that protected the house from danger. And he ran farther into the forest outside of the wards towards that nearest town and disappeared into the darkness of the wood.

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All of a sudden, Alex felt empty. And it wasn't a sort 'hungry' empty. Or a bored empty, neither. But it felt like something in his heart was empty. Like there was huge hole right in the center. He racked his brain on what could be the cause of it and only came to one conclusion.

Harry!

He looked around for Harry but didn't see him anywhere around. "Mommy, daddy! Where's Harry?"

Lily and James spared each other a glance before looking around the living room. "He's not here, Alex. He's probably upstairs reading." Lily said.

"Well, I want him here. Go get him!" he commanded.

James put a hand on Lily's shoulder and smiled, "I'll get him." He stood up with a groan and walked up the stairs. Sirius watched his back as he disappeared up the stairs. They heard some muffled words which were obviously James, but none from a small little boy.

There were some hurried steps that wandered around the top floor and then James ran down the stairs and stopped in front of the small group. "Harry's not in his room. Or anywhere upstairs." He said an anxious tone.

Lily eyes widened with that news. "He couldn't have wandered outside, could he?" she started to bite her nails in worry.

"I'm not sure. I'll check the wards. If he's still inside, they'll be able to know where he is." He walked to the basement and went downstairs. Both Sirius and Lily sat in apprehension for him to return with Harry. Alex looked around at both of them, wondering what was going on and where Harry was.

They heard more hurried steps as James ran back upstairs. "The wards can't find him." He said in haste as he ran to the front yard after getting a jacket from the coat rack. Lily seized one as well and followed him.

"I'll check the back yard." Sirius said and he ran to the back yard.

They called for Harry over and over but received no answer. They realized it was no use after an hour of searching and looking all over the house and yard twice. By the time they were done, Lily was in hysteric tears of guilt while both James and Sirius had looks of shame marring their faces.

Sirius stood outside looking at the sky, tears going down his face. He had realize what had happened, and he had could not blame Harry. It was his fault. His entire fault. Well, it wasn't his entire fault. Some it went to his parents as well, but some it was his fault to not notice Harry's unhappiness. He should have noticed if Remus had if he was sad. No wonder he ran away.

And what about Remus?

Sirius noticed how close Remus and Harry were. But until now, he couldn't understand how he could spend more time with Harry than with Alex.

Remus is going to be heartbroken.

Sirius wiped his face after sighing forlornly. Slowly, he trekked back to the house to hear Lily and James trying to explain to Alex where his brother went. He inwardly vowed that if they ever did find Harry again, he would give him as much love as Alex, maybe even more.

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Remus felt so much better than last night. And even if he wasn't still feeling well from the full moon two days ago, nothing could stop him from seeing his emerald-eyed cub, Harry. He knew that he would not get many gifts for his birthday and he felt horrible for not being there for his birthday since he knew no one else would; he just couldn't get out of bed. He was too exhausted. But now he felt much better and he was heading there as soon as possible to his cub. He had a few more presents in his arms for his birthday knowing that Harry would need more gifts than the very few he knew he had gotten.

He walked into his fireplace and said the address. A few seconds later he was in the living room of the Potter home. He already saw most of the family. Alex was eating a hearty breakfast. Lily was drinking a cup of something; eyes red and puffy and heavy bags under them. James didn't look any better. His eyes were downcast an everlasting grimace on his face as he looked into his coffee cup. Sirius was there as well; his elbows on the dining table and his face in his hands.

But no Harry in sight.

"Hello, everyone." Remus said merrily, despite the grave uneasiness that was in the room.

Everyone except for Alex turned towards him in surprise as if they hadn't noticed that he had walked in. Sirius eyes widened as he saw him; something akin to dread swirling in his gray eyes. He averted his eyes from Remus' view; turning them back to the table he sat at.

Lily just stared at him with deep sadness and James did the same as Sirius and looked at the wall behind Remus. The mood became even worse when he asked the question that they all knew was coming.

"Where's Harry? I have a few more presents to give him." He held up the three wrapped present that were in his hands to prove his point. He gave a nervous smile to the dejected group.

With those words, Lily sprang into a fit of tears. James sighed despondently and looked at the carpeted floor. "Alex. Go upstairs and play with your toys." He said without looking at him."

Alex pouted, "But Daddy-!"

"Now Alex!" James said firmly. He wasn't in the mood to argue and Alex could tell. He jumped out of his chair and walked upstairs. No one spoke until they heard a thud of a door closing.

Remus' smile faded at the severe looks that Sirius and James had and asked, "What happened? Where's Harry?" he said anxiously.

No one answered. Remus became more and more troubled. Where's Harry? Where was his cub?

"Where is Harry?" he questioned louder.

"We don't know." Sirius mumbled miserably after a few second of silence.

Remus just stared at him. "What do you mean 'you don't know'?" he said slightly disturbed by that answer.

What James said made him panic more, "Just that. We don't know where he is."

There was a pregnant pause, then Remus let his hand fall limply to his sides; his gifts fell to the kitchen floor and Lily flinched slightly at the sound of glass breaking as they did. Remus held a blank gaze of shock before sinking to his knees in distress.

Harry… gone? This cannot be happening. It just couldn't be… His cub… Harry…

"Don't worry. We already have a search party from the ministry looking for him. He'll be back with us in no time." Sirius said with a false smile, trying to give his friend some hope in this dire situation. It, unfortunately, didn't do what it was supposed to do for the grieving werewolf.

Remus looked up at them with something akin to withheld rage as he stood from the ground. "Don't worry… Don't worry! How could you tell me not to worry? Harry is all alone in this world; somewhere on the streets cold and probably hungry! I'm not saying that he was not alone living here as well, but at least he had a bed to sleep on and food to eat! His own parents didn't even notice how lonely Harry was… how broken his heart was… And you want me to not worry! I'm sorry but I cannot do that!" He turned on his heel and stomped back the fireplace.

James stood up, "Remus, where are you going?" he said in a hurry.

Remus didn't stop walking, "Well since you're not going to look for _own son_ yourself, I'm going to look for him myself."

When the emerald blaze engulfed and he was gone, Lily broke open into another fit of tears. "He's right! We're monsters! How could we do that to our other son? Harry is just as important as Alex and Remus was the only one who knew that!"

James walked over to her and embraced her in comforting, thought Lily wouldn't stop weeping. "We will find Harry, Lily, I swear it. We will find him."

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Four months, two weeks, and five days since Harry had ran away.

Two months, three weeks, three day since he had a place to sleep.

Four weeks, six days since he had a bath.

Five days since he had a good enough meal.

And a day since he had swig of water.

Harry didn't know how much longer he would last. Living on one's own at his age was way harder than he thought it would be. Harry didn't want to think this way, but he knew that if he didn't find anything to eat or drink he could most certainly die. Harry wasn't one of those kids who held a false hope for everything; he knew that death was possible for him. The problem was that he didn't want to die just yet.

He needed a real meal this time; he might not live much longer on morsels from the trash. He needed to get something from one of the restaurants in the town he always wandered in. He didn't like to admit nor do it but he had to pick-pocket someone this time.

And what do ya know. He saw his victim right across the street. It was a man in a business suit sitting in a bench, a briefcase resting in his lap. Harry took a closer look from where he was standing and noticed the bulge in one of his pockets meaning one thing: a wallet.

When the man stood to go wherever he needed to, Harry chose to make his move. He walked to the nearest crosswalk and without even looking to see if a car was coming in his haste to get something to eat started walking across the street. He had to save his energy for running after taking the wallet if the man found out to soon. That's when a stunning cherry convertible started speeding down the street; and it look like it wasn't about to stop anytime soon. But Harry, in his desperate haze of mind, didn't notice. He barely registered someone yelling, "Watch out kid!" He looked up finally and saw the car barreling towards him. He stood in shock, not able to move out of the way to save himself.

The car was only a few meters from him when a person ran out into the street and grabbed him bodily and leaped out of the car's path onto the other side of the street. Harry reflexively closed his eyes when the car had gotten closer and when he felt himself being lifted into someone arms and carried off. He didn't open his eyes until he heard someone say in a soft female voice, "Are you alright child?"

He opened his eyes to see a very pretty woman with long black hair. Her hair wasn't like his own, all messy and what not; it was shiny, sleek down her back, and her parted bangs in front of her face, covering one of her eyes was wavy. She had an unnatural hue of red and a beauty mark under the left side of her lips which were clad in a dark red lipstick. She also wore dark red eye shadow.

When he did not immediately answer, the woman questioned him again, "Are you alright?"

He merely nodded, still feeling the shock from almost dying. The woman looked around and noticed the crowd that was surrounding them. She picked up Harry and carried him to a nearby alleyway.

She put him down, but didn't let go when she noticed that the child couldn't stand. While the woman was looking him over to see if there was any injury on his body, Harry got a closer look of what she was wearing. She was wearing a strapless dark red silk shirt with black lace at the bottom and ribbon hanging down the front of it and simple black velvet pants and high heels.

"You seem to be alright." She said absentmindedly. She looked him in the eyes before asking, "Now would you like to tell me where your parents are. I can take you back to them. I'm sure they're worried about where you are and are looking all over the place for you." Harry couldn't help but feel light headed at the sound of her voice. It was soft and flowing. It reminded him of the petals of a rose. He hadn't even comprehended what she had said.

"Honey, your parents? Where was the last place you saw them? I can help you find them." Her words started to make sense in his head, and they filled him with dread and sadness. He didn't want to go back to them. Not after what they did to him. After the torment he'd been through. He couldn't live that way again… ever again. He looked down at the ground, trying to keep the tears that have been threatening to overflow for years from leaving him.

"Please," he whispered so softly the woman had to strain to hear him. "Don't take me back to them. I don't want to back. They wouldn't want me to come back." A few tears fell to the ground.

"That's nonsense. I bet they're really worried about you-" The woman was interrupted by Harry who started to weep in her shoulder. He started to cry about his life and his parents not wanting him and all they cared about was his brother Alex Potter. He spoke of being all alone even when he had lived with his family. He complained about how they only noticed when Alex had first done accidental magic when Harry had done it months before him. The boy cried for another ten minutes before passing out from exhaustion and hunger. And the dark haired woman looked at him with slight astonishment crossing her features.

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Lulu had been having a regular day. She needed to get a book on dark magic rituals that could only be found in the Earthkian wizarding world. There weren't that many magic stores in Spira for her _kind_ of tastes. She had been planning to go to Knockturn Alley. She had been planning that once she got her book she would go back to Besaid Village, settle down in her hut, and read it. She had been planning the next day to try some of the spells out as well.

But all of her plans were put to an abrupt halt when she met… well more like saved… Harrison Potter. She was shocked to learn of who his family was. Even though she lived in Spira, she still had magical blood. She sometimes kept in touch with the news that went around the wizarding worlds on Earth. She knew of Alexander Potter; the famous Potter family. She had also heard they had another son, but the papers had only mentioned him once in her memory. This must be him.

'I guess the Potters aren't as pure as everyone thought.' She said as she looked down at the exhausted child. He looked about five and far too thin. It looked like he had eaten anything in a week. She could tell that he hadn't been getting any good sleep either.

He didn't want to go back to his family. Maybe he was just saying it out of frustration. But right now, she would have to make a choice. She put the boy in a better position to hold and picked him up.

'I'll let him sleep in my hut, give him something eat," She smelled the stench from the boy. 'Give him a nice bath. Then I'll ask him again if he wants to go back to his family."

And with that she walked into the shadows of the alley and disappeared into the darkness.

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**End of Chapter 1**

AN: Well, what do you think? Good? Bad? R&R. For those people thinking 'Those aren't Lulu's clothes." Well, I highly doubt that Lulu wore the same thing for ten years of her life. She had to have something different to wear. I know Harry's name isn't Harrison but I wanted it that way. So haha.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN PLEASE READ:** For those people who are already going down my throat about how unoriginal my story is when I've only written two chapters so far. **STOP IT!** **You don't even know how I'm to write this. It's only been the first chapter for god's sake. It may seem unoriginal in the beginning, but guess what? It's my story, and I'll write it however the hell I want to; original or not! My story will probably be different from all those out there I hope. And if you think my story is so unoriginal then. You. Don't. Have. To. Read. It. Okay? Okay. (Sorry I get pissed of easily and I like to rant.)** On with the frickin story! I can't do accents so I'm not gonna try.

"Talk."

'Thought.'

**A Summoner's Anguish**

**Chapter 2**

Crackling fire…

That was the sound that woke Harry from his peaceful slumber. The first thing he was aware of was that he was warm, lying on a something soft, and covered in something snug. His eyes opened lazily after a moment of fluttering. He reluctantly rose from his comfortable position and looked around the room. He then noticed that he was alone. From where he was sitting he could tell he was inside of a hut. There were strange instruments all around it; piles of books littered the floor; fabrics that had colors both vibrant and dark hung on the walls and there was a pot cooking over a small fire. He looked down to see he had been sleeping on a cot and was covered in a blanket.

As he looked around, the memories of why he was there in the first place came back to him. 'That woman…' he thought. 'She must've brought me here.' He blushed slightly at the thought of him just crying on some strange lady's shoulder and telling him about her about his life and the wizarding world. He didn't even know if she herself was a witch or not. He just couldn't help it; the way she held him the way he had always wished his own mother to do. The way she spoke to him in that pretty voice. It made him feel a sense of comfort and safety that he had only felt when he was with Remus. His heart sank slightly at the thought of Remus.

At that moment, the black haired lady came through the flap that acted as a door for the hut. At the sight of him up, she gave him a small smile. "Ah… you're awake. Good, dinners almost ready so you won't have to wait much longer to eat." She walked over to the pot and stirred its content before taking a bowl from the stack behind her, dishing out something that looked like soup. She walked over to him and held it out for him to take.

Harry took it, but didn't eat it. The woman chortled lightly, "It's just vegetable soup. I noticed how thin you were and knew you needed something to eat. Try it. My cooking's not spectacular… but it's not poisonous." She smiled to make him smile. He didn't.

He tasted it experimentally. He lingered for a few moments, seemingly waiting for something to happen, before digging into the soup. The lady watched him eat, "How is it?"

He swallowed and mumbled shyly, "It's very good, Miss…?"

"Lulu. Just call me Lulu. I'm not that old." She stood up and sat in a fabric covered chair. "After you're done we can give you a bath if you want. I'm sure you want one. I have heard of you from a wizarding world newspaper on Earth. Harry is it?"

"Harrison really. But everyone just calls me Harry." He said quietly. His eyes widened as the last part of what she said sank in. "What do you mean 'newspapers on Earth'? Aren't we on Earth?"

Lulu sighed, "No, we are not on Earth. We are in a realm that is not known by many Earthkians like you. We call this world Spira. Not many Spirans want are our world to be known so we live in secret."

Harry made a silent oh. Lulu decided to speak of something else, "So tell me, Harry. Out of the two of you, your brother and you I mean, who's the oldest?"

"Alex." Harry said meekly. He looked down at his empty bowl so as to not have to answer anymore questions about his family. He really did not want to think of them right now.

Lulu made a small noise in the back of the throat to show that she understood his wishes and then stood from her seat to get bowl of soup for herself. They ate in relative silence for about forty-five minutes before Lulu stole a glance at Harry to see that he was finished with his meal. "Ah you're done. Now how about that bath?" She stuck her hand out for him to take after plucking the bowl out of his lap and put it on a nearby table and Harry hesitantly took it after looking at it anxiously.

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As soon as Lulu entered Besaid with a sleeping Harry in her arms, she was instantly bugged by none other than Wakka. Wakka: the red headed, clueless, blitzballer of Besaid Village; also Lulu's chief annoyance when he wants be.

"Lulu? Lulu! There you are! I was looking for you all day! Where were you?" He asked as Lulu walked towards him.

Lulu didn't miss a beat. "Somewhere." She merely replied while she walked past him without sparing him a glance. That's when Wakka noticed what she was carrying. He ran in front of her to stop her and took a closer look at her load. He took a step back in surprise, "That a kid!"

Lulu looked down at the boy and then back at Wakka, "Oh really? I hadn't noticed." She said in deadpanned sarcasm as she continued her trek to her hut. Once again Wakka jumped in front of her. "No… I mean… what are _you_ doing with a kid?" he said oddly.

Lulu stepped to the side of him and continued walking. "I found him." Wakka didn't stop her this time; just walked behind her with curious brown eyes. "Where? On the beach? In the forest?"

"Somewhere." She responded evasively. That's when Wakka eyes suddenly widened in recognition. "Whoa whoa whoa! Wait a minute!" he ran in front of her in a rushed manner before she could enter her hut and said, "Don't tell me you got him from Ear-!" Lulu had already balanced Harry on one arm and had her free hand over Wakka's mouth. "Shut up! You bumbling fool!" she whispered harshly as she he looked around to see that was listening before letting go. "Yes, he's from Earth." She whispered.

"But Lulu-!" Lulu quickly shushed to quiet him down. Wakka, taking the point, did and whispered, "But Lulu, you know it's forbidden to let Earthkians live here. It's taboo."

"And that's why as soon as I give him something to eat and a bath, I'm sending him back to his family."

"You know who his family?" Wakka said conspiratorially.

"Sort of. He kind of told me. The family is sort of famous." She absentmindedly rubbed the child's back soothingly when he stirred slightly in his sleep. "He had run away for some reasons and look at him… he needs some sleep and something to eat or he might die."

Wakka made a heavy sigh before unwillingly moving at of the way so Lulu could go into her hut. He walked in after her and watched as she put the boy on her cot and covered him with a quilt. Her hand lingered on the boy's head before she straightened herself and started fixing dinner. When she had finished that task she walked back out with Wakka.

Wakka put a hand on her shoulder to make her turn around. When she did, he looked her straight in the eye. "You're gonna tell me everything. Don't leave anything out." Lulu groaned in annoyance at his meddling. "It doesn't concern you." She retorted.

"Now that I know about this, it does. What happened?"

Lulu sighed. "I saved the kid from an automobile that was going to hit him."

"Those things' are moving deathtraps." Wakka scoffed.

Lulu chose to ignore the comment. "The kid told me about his life at home and that he had run away. He had been feeling neglected and unloved by his parents and left. And when I asked him if he wanted to go back to them, he begged me not to. I felt pity for him, alright."

"Okay! Okay…" Wakka couldn't find anything else to say. "I can see why you did it. But you know we can't keep him even if we wanted to. The priest-"

"Would forbid it. I know." She folded her arms across her chest. She walked back inside to check the meal and saw that the child was already awake. She couldn't help but smile at the boy as he stared at her with those big emerald eyes of his.

The boy was rather shy, now that she had the time to know him. Very quiet and reserved yet inquisitive at the same time. Every time he looked into his eyes, her heart ached for him. She could see the sadness and pain in his eyes. There was fear as well but that was expected being in a new place. There was also a kind of wisdom far beyond his years swirling in their depths.

He started asking questions about this world, which she answered rather vaguely but enough to quench his thirst for now. And in return Lulu asked a few herself.

After an hour or so of eating their portions of dinner, Lulu deemed it time to give him a bath. The boy took her hand when asked and they headed for the door. Before they left, Lulu took a towel and a bottle of bath oil. 'I'll have to borrow some children's clothes from someone when we get back. The garments he has on are far too worn to be of any use anymore.' She thought. She picked up her favorite magical focus, a moogle doll, from a shelf on the wall and they left.

They walked by Wakka who had been sitting on the floor outside and beside her door, apparently waiting for her. His eyes widened at the scrawny child that held her hand and Harry stared back in equal fascination. He tore his gaze as they neared the outskirts of the village; Wakka however still stared but did not move from where he sat.

Lulu led him through the usual path to the shallow part of the river. As they moved along they were attacked by a few fiends: A coyote: a sort of dog looking monster; an aqua flan: a living blob of blue jelly that made ferocious water attacks; and a red element: a floating live red ruin that formed vicious fire attacks. Harry watch in awe as Lulu took them own easily with her brand of magic: Dark Magic. They made it to the river within a reasonable time of fifteen minutes.

"I'll turn around while you get undressed and get in the water. Take this." She gave him the bath oil and turned around to give him some privacy. When she heard the rippling of water five minutes later, turned to see Harry submerged in the water. She sat and studied her doll as he took his bath. Her attention was pulled when Harry decided to talk to her.

"Miss Lulu-"

"I told you, Harry. Just call me Lulu."

"L…Lulu…?"

"Yes?"

"Are… are you a witch?" he asked timidly.

Lulu looked up from her moogle in slight astonishment at the blunt question. She hid it with a small smile. "Why do you ask?" she countered as she looked back at her doll.

"Well… I just thought… you were doing all that magic… and I had never seen anything like it before… it was… strange… I just wondered if it was the same thing… maybe a special kind." He paused when he seemed to realize he was rambling. "Sorry… just forget I asked anything." He said miserably with a small sigh as he continued to bathe.

Lulu thought for a moment of what she should say. 'It would hurt if I told him. They have them in his world as well.' She took a deep breathe before saying, "I'm a Dark Mage, Harry. The magic that you saw me doing earlier was Dark Magic."

Harry looked at her with something akin to fear in his green eyes. "What's wrong, Harry?" Lulu asked inquisitive.

Harry tore his gaze from hers and gazed down at his reflection in the water. "My… daddy said that Dark Magic was evil… and that people who did Dark Magic were evil as well." He said meekly. His lips thinned into a line on his face as his thoughts started to revolt from what his father had said.

Lulu smiled knowingly and nodded. "Tell me Harry. Do I seem evil to you?"

Harry seemed to think for a few moments before he shook his head vigorously. Lulu heaved a sigh before saying, "Listen Harry. Most people fear what they do not understand. Not all people use Dark Magic for ill will. Some use it to help people. We are feared because of a chosen few who had chosen to use Dark Magic to create chaos and destruction; and because of that, they put us all in the category of evil because it was misused a few times, not able to create the concept that we are not all the same. I have magic blood running through my veins, but I decided that I worked best with offensive spells so went to Dark Magic and became a Dark Mage. I do not use my magic to hurt people but to protect them. Understand?"

Harry made a mute nod to show that he understood. "I'm done." He announced quietly.

"Dry yourself off." Lulu said, turning around again.

Five minutes later, he once again stated that he was finished. When he was about to put his clothes on, she stopped him. "You just got yourself cleaned. Don't put those filthy clothes on!" she reprimanded gently so as not to frighten him. "I'll get you some new clothes when we get back to the village. Just wrap the towel around yourself." When he pulled the huge towel around himself, Lulu had made a clip from a small ice spell and clipped it into place. She took his hand once again and they proceeded to walk back to the village.

As they walked back, Harry decided to ask more questions about Spira. "Lulu?"

"Yes, Harry?"

"Is all of this Spira? Is Spira much bigger than this?"

Lulu collected her thoughts for moments before answering, "No, Spira is much bigger. We are now on an island in the middle of an ocean. This is only a piece of Spira. Spira is far greater; not nearly as big as Earth, mind you, but big enough for people not to feel smushed."

There was a silence before Lulu started a new snippet of talk. "Harry, do you truly not want to go back to your parents?" she questioned.

The boy stopped in his tracks at the question and look at her with heartbreaking dread. "You're not going to send me back, are you? I don't want to go back! I can't stand it anymore! I don't belong there! I never belonged there! I'll just be in the way! I'm always in the way!" he shrieked in a panicked high.

Lulu knelt before Harry and held him close to her to calm him. She didn't lessen her grip her grip until she felt him stop struggling in her grasp and heard his breathe slow down. She put him at arms length and said, "Harry, Look at me." His eyes, which had been screwed shut, slowly opened. He already had tears down his face that leaked and soaked into the towel wrapped around his lithe diminutive body. Looking at him, so vulnerable and helpless, Lulu make a choice that she never thought she would have to make. This is something that Wakka would do. "If you truly want to go home then… then you can stay with me."

It had taken Harry a few minutes to realize what she had said. He sniffled and rubbed his eyes. "Really?" he asked.

Lulu hesitated before saying a gentle "Yes."

Harry gave small smile of gratitude which Lulu returned. Lulu stood up, took his hand again and the continued the trek back to Besaid Village.

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Wakka was worried for his and Lulu's wellbeing. If Lulu kept doing things like this they would be kicked out of the village in no time. And he didn't want to leave Besaid; for good at least. He was born and raised there after all. It was his home.

Even though Lulu said she only cared for him because she felt pity, he could tell deep down that she truly felt sympathy for the boy. He knew that the longer that child stayed here the more Lulu would be hard pressed to let him go. Wakka himself had already looked at him once and he also couldn't help but like the lad. He didn't know if it was because he was a child; or maybe it was his big emerald eyes; or it could have been because he looked so lost and sad. Wakka didn't know but despite all of that neither Lulu nor he could keep the kid. It was forbidden for Earthkians to live in this world and that's that. Plus he had better things than watch after a brat. He was still young, you know.

He was still sitting in thought when the Lulu and the child had returned. He stood up and walked up to them as they neared him. He froze when the child hid behind one of Lulu's legs. Lulu stooped before the kid and whispered something in his ear, to which the he nodded to. He scurried past Wakka, avoiding his green gaze from Wakka's dark brown, and walked into Lulu's hut.

Wakka waited for Lulu to walk up to him before he whispered, "Well? You gave him his bath and fed him. I'm suspecting that once you give him a change of clothes, we'll be rid of him and then we'll no longer be in danger of going to prison for breaking the law."

Lulu looked up at him with rebelling crimson eyes. "He's staying." She simply said as he walked by him towards the hut next to hers.

"What!" he whispered harshly. How could she do such a thing? This could get them in a lot of trouble. A lot more trouble than for just taking the boy here. They could get in more trouble for letting the kid live here. What is she thinking? "Are you nuts?" he questioned as he ran in front of her. "Do you want us to go to jail?"

"Harry needs someone in his life that will care for him. Since his parents won't do that, I'll take their place." She retorted. "Tomorrow I'll take him to the head priest so that I could possibly get his blessing to him stay here. It wouldn't do hide him for the rest of his life."

Wakka was shocked into temporary silence spluttered in a panic, "What! If you do that, they'll definitely arrest us!"

"What is this 'us' and 'we'? I was the one who brought him here so I shall be the one to suffer the consequences! You don't have to involve yourself anymore in this! This is my burden and I shall damn well bear it!" That's when Wakka decided to step down. Lulu hardly ever cursed or yelled unless she was really angry. An angry Lulu definitely wasn't something that he wanted on his back at the moment. "Alright alright… I'll stay out of it from now on." He said resignedly.

"Good." Lulu said and in a huff she turned on her heel and continued to walk to her neighbors' home. Probably to get some clothes for… Harry… if that's what Lulu called him. With a deep sigh he looked at the sky to see that the sun was going down and walked back into his own hut to resign for the night.

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Four months… almost five.

Four months since he had left.

Four months since the last time since he had seen him… Harry… his godson.

Four months since he had last seen his beautiful green eyes that ironically reminded him of Harry's own mother, who had left him alone.

Four months since he had held him and consoled him from his worries and loneliness.

Four months that they have been looking for him.

And four months that they have gotten absolutely nothing that could lead to his whereabouts.

And Remus' heart was aching. Aching for his godson. Aching more than usual. It had always ached whenever he saw Harry so sad. But now it ached even more that he wasn't near him; that he wasn't there to soothe him; that he probably would never see him again…

Remus shook his head vigorously to clear his head of such negative thoughts. 'I'll find him; maybe not tomorrow; maybe not next week, but soon. I'll find you, Harry, and you'll never be alone again.'

The Potters have been grief driven since Harry disappearance. It finally dawned on them that Harry was important to them; they just had never realized it until it was too late.

James had buried himself in Auror paperwork. No one has seen him outside the ministry for weeks. Sirius had tried to get him out of the office, but he was always brushed off, James always saying "This has to be done."

Lily… well Lily has been going through some kid of trance; she did the same things everyday but mechanically; like she didn't even notice. Plus she was pregnant with another child so that was even more hassle on her. Ironically they hadn't known until about a few weeks after Harry left. She was month far when they found out. She always looked worn and tired; not just from the pregnancy but from her missing son.

And Alex… Remus knew that he was a smart kid… not as smart as Harry but smart enough… he knew that his brother was gone and that he probably would never see him again. He knew that he had never had spent much time with his younger twin, and he was regretting it now. Sirius had told him once while he watching Alex that all he did these days was cry. He was barely in the mood to play anymore. He never smiled as much either.

Despite Remus feeling sorry for them; he just can't help but think that their caring has come too late. He also couldn't help but think that if Harry hadn't ran away, would things stay the same or change as time went by. Would James and Lily realize their mistake on their own?

Remus shook his head his again. 'This is no time to dwelling on what ifs. I have to find him.' Remus sighed and looked out the window of his house. 'I just hope he's alive and well… wherever he is.'

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**End of Chapter 2**

**AN:** Well, I'm sure some of you are thinking that this doesn't add. I remade the first chapter slightly so it does add. Only a few changes, like Remus is Harry's godson, not Sirius. **If you haven't read the first AN at the top the press the return to top button and read it cause I'm serious about it.**


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Please don't kill me. I know I haven't update in a while and I'm sorry. Between school and soccer there was little time to do any fanfiction stuff. I had no idea that this one would get so popular. This story was made after my others and is still more popular than them. All I can say is thank you. Well, I've had you wait for far too long so on with the chapter. And also there's a link to an Al Bhed translator on my page for you to use for this fic. This has many Final Fantasy X mentions in it so those who don't know much about it let alone played it wouldn't know what the heck I'm talking about. No offense.

Disclaimer: I still don't own em'.

"Talk"

'Thought'

**A Summoner's Anguish**

**Chapter 3**

Lulu opened her eyes and rose from her bed with trepidation in her movements. She got ready for the day with both determination and fear in her step as she thought of what she was going to do today. But who could blame her? After all, most people wouldn't even go through it.

She decided to let little Harry sleep in, thinking that he would need lots of rest. She fixed a small breakfast for the two of them. As she ate she pondered her plan that she had affixed into her brain. It was a small plan because she assumed that there would only be three outcomes once she told the priest. Harry would be sent back and Lulu excommunicated and/or put in jail; Harry would be sent back and Lulu let off the hook for confessing; or she got to keep him and also not be in trouble.

That one was the one that seemed almost impossible.

But it wasn't the worst one that came to her mind…

Harry would be killed so that the secret of Spira would never be found out to all of the Earthikans.

She just hoped it wouldn't come to that.

She had finished her meal right when Harry returned to the land of the living. She couldn't help but let a small smile light up her features as she looked at the boy sitting up from his cot. His hair looked even messier than it had before. "Good morning," she said.

"Good morning," he mumbled as he rubbed sleep from his eyes.

"There's breakfast on the table for you. Eat and then get dressed. We have something to do today," she informed the infant as he blinked at her from the bed.

The boy nodded and walked slowly on his thin legs to the table. He crawled into his chair and ate his breakfast in silence. So she wouldn't be staring at him eating, Lulu grabbed a book from a shelf behind her and started reading.

Twenty minutes later she heard a faint clanging of silverware and looked up from her book to see that he was finished and was already getting changed into a clean shirt and trousers. When he finished he stared at her with big questioning eyes. Lulu put her book away with a tired sigh and picked the boy up, not trusting his bony legs to carry him all the way to the temple.

She was walking through the door when Wakka was walking past her hut. Their eyes met for a moment, both transferring a certain emotion. Wakka's was of worry and fear, possibly for Lulu's life. Lulu's was of determination for her self-assigned mission and also of fear for the outcome. She tore her red eyes from his brown ones and began to walk past him to the temple, Harry cradled in her arms.

Lulu walked up the stairs slower than usual, aware of the fact that she was only delaying the inevitable. She put Harry on the ground once she entered and led him to the head priest of Besaid Village, Kunu, who just happened to be looking at a statue of the High Summoner of Spira.

She coughed lightly to get his attention. "Good morning, Priest Kunu," she said as she did the prayer of Yevon.

Kunu gave her a small tight smile before tightly returning the gesture and coldly said, "Hello… Lulu. I hope Yevon has kept you well."

Lulu inwardly sighed at his behavior towards her. Kunu always seemed to have a set belief that all people who practiced the dark arts, including her, had a source of evil in them and weren't worth the safety that Yevon gives all Yevonites.

"He has kept me in best health, Priest Kunu. But Priest… you see… I have found someone… a child… actually… but… well…" Lulu couldn't help but stumble over her words she was using to try and confer her request. Her eyes wandered to Harry who was looking at the man with fearful eyes. The priest followed her eyes to the small boy and Harry, noticing his stare, hid behind Lulu's legs with a silent whimper.

"Lulu," Kunu said confusedly, "What… is this?" The man top lip seemed to curl in disgust at Harry's disheveled hair and thin body.

Lulu gulped before answering, "This is the boy I told you about… I… found him."

Kunu looked her in the eyes sharply, "Can I wonder where?" It was his own way of saying "Tell me where you found him."

Lulu hesitated before mumbling, "Earth."

The elder's eyes widened at the utterance, "What!"

"Earth! I found him while I was exploring and I couldn't just leave him there. If I had he would have d-."

"You brought an Earthkian into our midst! I knew you weren't so right in the head, as one could tell by the kind of magic you study, but I had no idea you were this insane! You know that any Earthkian, both big and small, is forbidden in Spira! You know the consequences of such an offence!"

Lulu swallowed and nodded her head solemnly. She tried to keep her hands from shaking but she was failing badly. Harry was openly shaking with fear and Lulu put a comforting hand on his head.

"Well I have no choice then. Lulu, the child shall be returned to Earth. And for bringing an Earthkian to Besaid I shall have to turn you in to the Yevonites of Bevelle. Maybe in prison you can repent for your sins against Yevon-!"

"Priest Kunu! Priest Kunu!"

Kunu's mouth snapped closed at the sound of his name being yelled. He looked past Lulu to the entrance of the temple and Lulu turned as well to see who had called.

A young man ran inside and stopped in front of Kunu. He grasped his knees to and panted deeply as if he had run a long way. Lulu realized that it was Wedge, one of Wakka's knuckleheaded pals.

Kunu watched Wedge catch his breath for a few moments before he said impatiently, "Yes? What is it Wedge! I am quite busy!"

"But sir… this is very… important… I thought I should… tell you… since he's… on his way… here." Wedge panted.

"What? Who?!" Kunu demanded.

Wedge gave one last pant before straightening. He did the prayer before answering, "Summoner Aberforth, my lord! He is on his way here right at this very moment, he is! I thought I should warn you!"

Kunu was speechless for a few moments before he spluttered, "S-Summoner… Aberforth … He is coming?! Here?! To this quaint little temple!?" He seemed almost ecstatic before he leered at Wedge. "I swear if this just another one of you little jokes, Wedge… I will have you excommunicated, I mean it!" He pointed a long finger in Wedge's face to emphasize his meaning.

Wedge laughed nervously and gave a crooked smiled, "I swear to you Priest Kunu. I'm most serious, I am. Summoner Aberforth is coming this way."

"Well then, stand outside the door and warn me when you see him. As for you…" he glared back at Lulu, who still had Harry hidden behind her legs. "You are lucky. I shall still turn you in… but only once Lord Aberforth leaves. As for now, just stay out of the way! We cannot let him know of this most immoral sin."

Lulu gave him a curt nod and proceeded to move to a dark corner out of sight with Harry holding her hand. Lulu looked down at Harry to find him crying silently. She started to card her fingers through his hair, which made him look up at her. She gave him a sad smile before wiping the tears away from his face.

"Don't worry," she whispered consolingly, "Everything's going to be okay. I won't let them hurt you."

Harry gave her a small nod before looking down at his feet.

Kunu drew Lulu's attention when Kunu started summoning the other priests from the side rooms of the temple. "Okay everyone since Lord Aberforth is coming we have to be presentable for his arrival! Now-!"

"No need Kunu," a calm elderly voice said from outside the temple's entrance interrupted Kunu's little speech.

Kunu eyes widened as he turned towards the voice. Entering the temple was an ancient man with slivery white hair and a long beard white beard that reached his chest but was tied at the end. He had circle rims glasses that sat at the end of his long nose. He wore a robe of an ornate yet simple design. His pants were a deep blue with light blue snowflakes throughout it, while his shirt was white with dark blue snowflakes. His shoes were a simple navy blue. In his hands he held a three foot white staff that had a baby blue symbol of a snowflake on the top.

His face held a smile that kept warmth and he walked with a grace that spoke volumes as he moved to the center of the temple where Kunu stood.

"Hello young Kunu. I see that you haven't changed since the last time I saw you," he said with a bit of amusement in his voice.

Kunu seemed to snap out of his stupor to perform the prayer, causing everyone else in the room to remember to do it as well. "My lord! It is a tremendous honor to see you again, my lord!

"Kunu for the thousandth time! Call me by my name. 'My lord' makes me feel far older than I already am," he requested with annoyance.

Oh! Of course, my l- I mean Aberforth! It is… once again an h- honor to see you! What brings you here to this humble little temple?"

Lulu restrained herself from rolling her eyes. Besaid temple was probably anything but "humble" or "little". Sure, it probably wasn't the biggest temple in Spira, but it was still extravagant in its own right.

"I just wanted to see the temple. This is the place where I summoned my first Aeon, after all."

The elder looked around the room in awe of its beauty. "I see it hasn't changed much since the last I was here, except for this small detail." He pointed at the statue that held that High Summoner's, Braska, likeness with light disapproval marring his features before returning to his kind beam. "I guess there's nothing I can do about that. I just wish it wasn't there and I'm quite sure that Braska would dislike it as well. No one needs a statue of themselves to prove their greatness."

Kunu began to speak up, "But my l- Aberforth. It is tradition for the temple that possesses the High Summoner's first Aeon to have a statue of him. It is a great honor. And he was your apprentice. You should be twice as proud,"

Aberforth looked at him with great doubt in his eyes, but he appeased to the high-maintenance priest as he said, "I guess you are right," he clicked his tongue before continuing, "Kunu, how are things in Besaid?"

Kunu gave an overly dramatic smile before answering, "Everything is absolutely wonderful in Besaid, Aberforth! We have had no problems whatsoever."

Aberforth let forth a hearty laugh before replying, "That is excellent news, Kunu," He took one look around the room and for some reason his eyes settled on Lulu.

"Lulu? Lulu… is that you? I almost didn't recognize you. I haven't seen you in so many years. How are you, my child?" Aberforth walked over to Lulu who had a surprised look on her face. She also remembered when she had first met him, but that had been many years ago, when she only eight. Aberforth had a rather… interesting personality. The best word to describe him, which most people did use to describe him with, was eccentric. But when she had first met him she just thought he was just a nut.

Lulu's eyes flickered to Kunu who had a traumatized look on his face that, in another situation, Lulu would have found comical, but right now it was not in the slightest way. Harry, a forbidden Earthikan child, was hiding behind her, as Aberforth walked closer. She didn't know how Aberforth would react if he found out of Harry's heritage. It would either lightened her punishment or worsen it greatly.

She decided to act nonchalant about this problem and bowed as Aberforth stopped before her. "Hello, Lord Aberforth. It is nice to see you again. I am well. And how are you?" she said calmly as she gave him a small smile.

"I am quite fine, all thanks to Yevon." He seemed to taking in every detail of how much Lulu had changed over the years, but he settled on her legs. That is… what was behind her legs. "Oh! What is this then?"

Aberforth tried to move around Lulu to see the boy more clearly, but Harry would go the opposite way to keep an equal distance away between them.

At the boy's behavior Aberforth chuckled lightly, "Come now boy, I will not hurt you. It's against my teachings to hurt a child." He held a welcoming hand, beckoning the child to come to where he stood.

Harry stared at the wrinkled appendage before removing his clenched hands from Lulu's shirt. He stepped out from behind her and walked little by little to the elderly man. Aberforth watched as Harry put his tiny hand in his wrinkled own. Aberforth gave him a warm smile, to which Harry returned with a tentative one.

"This is a wonderful boy you have here, Lulu. Is he yours?" Aberforth said, while tearing his blue eyes from Harry's green to look at Lulu.

Lulu was speechless. He thought Harry was her child! She stumbled over her words to try to correct him. "Oh! Um… no sir… he is not my son… I have not had any children at all." Her pale cheeks turned a light pink at the insinuation.

Aberforth's smile faltered slightly before returning to full force before he asked, "Oh he isn't? Are you watching him for a relative, then?"

"No sir, he… is not," Lulu started. She was starting to sweat lightly under his stare, knowing that he was getting closer and closer to knowing about her deed. Summoner Aberforth was rather weird and unpredictable. How he would react to this truth was still a mystery to her.

"So he's a friend's then," Aberforth said decidedly as he smiled once again at the boy, his hand still grasping Harry's small one.

"Um… no sir… he's not. I uh… found him," Lulu mumbled. There was no point in lying. In the short time that she knew the Summoner, she noticed that he could smell a lie a mile away. She was already in trouble; it was not worth being in more by hiding the reality of the situation.

Aberforth looked her in the eyes with a frown creeping on his decrepit face. He let go of Harry's hand and let it slide to his side as he stood up with a groan. "Oh really," He said softly, "Where did you find him then?" He walked closer towards her, making her feel even more caged than she had before. She felt like the small little girl that she once was when she first met him.

Her eyes darted to the long-forgotten Kunu, who was making cutting noises with his neck; probably meaning for her to be quiet about the child. She looked around the room towards all the priests and villagers who were staring at the interaction with great curiosity. Her eyes settled on the Harry who was switching his eyes from her to Aberforth and then back again, confusion written on his features.

She swallowed as she said, "I found him on Earth. He's an Earthikan, my lord." She looked down to the ground as soon as she said those words, not wanting to see the look of disappointment that he was bound to have on his aged face. When Lulu was a child she used to idolize Aberforth for his well–known power and wisdom, especially when her parents died. To see Aberforth look down upon her with shame would definitely chip a huge piece of her jaded heart away. From what was left of it anyway.

There was silence except for a few gasps that came from a few spectators. She heard a heavy sigh from in front of her and she could only guess that it was Aberforth's.

"He is, is he?" Aberforth said quietly. Lulu raised her eyes slightly to see him staring at Harry, who was looking at Lulu worriedly.

"Yes," she mumbled miserably.

Kunu seemed to snap right into action as he bustled over and planted himself in front of Aberforth, keeping Lulu out of his sight. "My lord, I am deeply sorry for this. You came here to see the beauty of this temple only to see that it been tarnished by the filth of this… Earthikan," Kunu spared a look of disgust at Harry to which the five-year-old's eyes widened. His eyes filled with tears as he turned his green eyes to the floor. Kunu made an unnoticeable smirk before it disappeared and he turned back to the old Summoner, "But you need not worry, my lord. Lulu will be severely punished for her grave sin and the… child shall be sent back to wherever he came from."

There was silence to in which Aberforth did not answer the priest. He seemed to take his time of thinking of a reply as he looked around the temple. His eyes halted on Lulu, his eyes heavy and his brow creased in serious thought. He stared at Kunu, who had a nervous smile on his face. And then looked at Harry who seemed to be crying silently and sniffling every once in a while. His eyes seemed to soften as he looked at the child and a smile appeared on his face.

He knelt before the child and pushed Harry's chin up properly so he could look into his emerald eyes. Harry, not sure what to do, decided to look back into Aberforth's blue ones. Seconds went by as the others silently stared at this interaction, wondering what the strange Summoner was up to.

After a full minute had gone by when nothing had happened between the two, Aberforth aged face broke into an even wider grin as he whispered so softly that only Harry heard him, "You have it," before he let go of Harry's chin and stood up. He turned toward both Kunu and Lulu, his grin still plastered on as he announced, "Harry shall stay here in Spira and become my apprentice." He looked back at the child mentioned to see that his eyes had widened remarkably at the change of events, "And Lulu will be spared of her punishment."

Lulu made a small smile in relief, while Kunu almost looked ready to faint in horror. He somehow regained enough of his composure to splutter out, "B-b-b-but my l- Aberforth… You can't honestly be serious about allowing an Earthikan to live in Spira, let alone teach it the art of Summoning! That is twice as forbidden! And Lulu! She has broken Yevonite law! She must be punished for her transgressions! Please Aberforth, reconsider your decisions!"

"I cannot help this Kunu," Aberforth said in a serious and calm voice, "He has the gift. I can see it in his eyes. He shall be my apprentice and that is final. And I have taught the last High Summoner of Spira, so the Yevonite Council will have to approve of my new student. And as for Lulu… what she did was a very honorable thing. She helped a child in need and that is one of Yevon's most stressed teachings. And there is no law that states that and Earthikan cannot be a Summoner. Or have you forgotten than I myself am an Earthikan," he said while giving gave the man sly smirk.

Kunu seemed to be frantically looking for a rebuttal to his statements. But after finding nothing to change the Summoner's mind, he spun on his heel in a huff and stomped to a backroom and out of sight. The spectators then decided that was their cue to leave as well and before long they drained out of room, leaving the strange trio in the silent hall. Lulu looked at Aberforth and said a relief-filled, "Thank you, Summoner Aberforth."

Aberforth waved off her thanks and gave a warm smile in return, "Oh do not thank me, my child. I must be thanking you. I will one day depart to the Farplane and I need an apprentice to pass on my secrets and skills before I go. I gave them to Braska, but he will not be able to give them to a new generation seeing as he is already gone. This is the perfect time to teach since The Calm is still in effect from Braska's Final Summoning last year. And I have a feeling that Harry will be another most promising pupil; maybe even greater than Braska. But, of course, that all goes down to Harry's choice."

Lulu looked over the elder's shoulder at Harry, who was simply staring at them as they talked. Aberforth turned back to the child who was still standing there, looking at the two talking. Aberforth bent down to him and asked softly, "Harry, would you like to stay here in Spira and learn the art of Summoning?"

Harry stared at him and then asked, "What's that?"

"It is a kind of magic. Do you know what that is?"

Harry nodded, "My parents are magic."

Aberforth nodded his head to show he understood, "Well, would you like to not only learn to Summon but also how to be a wizard? I know of both and can teach you that and so much more."

Harry seemed to think of this proposal before he looked over at Lulu who was not looking at him but at the wall to her left, an expression in her eyes that he could not recognize. "Can I still live with Lulu?" was his innocent question, to which Lulu's eyes widened as they settled on him.

Aberforth smiled and looked behind him at Lulu, who still held a stunned look. He could see a sliver of hope in her ruby orbs. "If Lulu still wants you to," he gave a perceptive smirk, knowing what the answer will be.

Lulu could find no words to come out of her mouth. So, instead, she settled with a slow nod of affirmation.

"And I never have to go to Earth ever again?"

At that question Aberforth's ivory eyebrows rose in surprise, "Why would you never want to go back to Earth, Harry?"

"I hate Earth," Harry whispered harshly, his tiny hand balled up in fists as he grimaced at the floor.

Aberforth stared at the boy in puzzlement and made a silent promise to find out what happened later, "Well you won't have to go to Earth for a very long time, so it won't matter now. So do you want me to be your teacher?"

A moment went by before Harry said a tentative, "Okay." Aberforth's smile, if possible, brightened even more and Lulu made another small smile.

"Summoner Aberforth!" Someone yelled from outside once again. Bursting through the door was none other than Wakka. He ran up to the group and screeched to a stop in front of the slightly surprised elder.

"Sir! If you are going to punish Lulu, then you're gonna have to punish me, too. I've known that the boy was here since yesterday, sir."

"Wakka-" Aberforth tried to explain the situation but was cut off by the panicked young man.

"No sir, I deserve the same punishment."

"Wakka-" Lulu also said, but was also cut off.

"I'll take anything. Community service… jail time… execution… anything, sir!"

"Wakka!!" Aberforth and Lulu both exclaimed to get the man's attention.

That managed to stop Wakka's tirade long enough for them to say something, "It's alright Wakka. Lulu is off the hook and Harry is allowed to stay in Spira."

Wakka brown eyes widened in surprise as he yelled, "What! But why?"

Lulu put a hand on his shoulder to calm him down, "I'll explain later Wakka."

That's when Wakka realized what a fool he made of himself when he ran in and he became instantly sheepish. He scratched the back of his head and laughed nervously as he said, "Well… hehe… in that case… I'll just be going then," and with that he hurried out and the three were left along again.

Aberforth laughed heartedly at Wakka's antics while Lulu simply sighed and shook her head. "Well on that note, I guess I'll have to get a room to live in for a while. You can live with Lulu while you're here in Besaid and, if Lulu wants, she can come along for the ride when we travel around Spira. You're lessons will start tomorrow morning. Well… I will have to bid you good day while I get everything arranged. See you both tomorrow," and with that the aged man walked to and through a door in the side of the hall.

When he disappeared, Lulu and Harry looked at each other, neither knowing what to say after such a happening. Harry was so speechlessly happy that he would be able to stay with Lulu in Spira and Lulu was shocked that they had gotten away scot-free. They were both incredibly lucky, that much she knew.

She finally found her voice and awkwardly said, "Well… how about I get you home and make some lunch for us. I know you must be hungry." She walked towards him and held a hand for him to take which, predictably, he did and she led him out of the temple door. She noticed that Wakka wasn't anywhere to be seen and assumed he must've gone to his hut. She spared a glance at the sundial that sat at the bottom of the steps to see that it was really time for lunch! '_Wow that took a whole lot longer than I thought._' she thought absentmindedly as she walked towards her hut.

Harry walked inside and sat down quietly as Lulu prepared the ingredients for the soup. That's when the words that Lulu said came to his mind.

_How about I get you home…_

For some reason that word put a happy smile on his face as he watched Lulu chop carrots.

'_Home_.'

She heated the water in the pot.

'_I guess this is my home now._'

She mixed the soup.

'_And I'll never have to be alone again._'

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AN: Finally done!!!!!! Sorry it took so long to update but my damn school is being tough! But I told myself that on Thanksgiving weekend I would sit down and finish this thing so I did. Then I had to make majors changes in this chapter so that it could fit the original plot in the most important parts. My beta for this story is now the lovely and talented Yllom21, writer of the fabulous _Strange Magic_.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: This is getting really annoying but I do not own them

AN: Hey everyone. Just wanted to tell you that I have a new story up if you didn't know already. It's a crossover of the anime series Blood+ and the animated cartoon Teen Titans. Check it out when you get the chance and tell me what you think. There has been a small change in the name of this story if you haven't noticed. In this chapter I will use a lot of Al Bhed, so have your translators ready!

Disclaimer: This is getting really annoying but I do not own them.

"Talk"

'Thought'

"**Al Bhed**"

**A Summoner's Sadness**

**Chapter 4**

Harry had a relatively peaceful night of sleep. When he was put to bed he was practically shaking with excitement at what the next day would bring, but as soon as his head hit the pillow he was sound asleep. He figured it was because it had been stressful day, not only for him, but for Lulu as well. He rose from his cot and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. Looking around, he saw that Lulu was not inside the hut, but there was breakfast already cooked and two plates of it were placed on the table. Assuming that one of the plates was his, he slowly crawled out of his bed and sluggishly sat at the table to eat.

After he was finished, he found he had much more energy than he had before. He cleaned up his mess and decided to get dressed for the day. He put on the same clothes he had worn the day before. As he finished putting on his shoes, the flap door opened and in entered Lulu, followed by Summoner Aberforth.

The tall old man walked over to Harry, who simply stared at him as he advanced. The elder stopped in front of the boy and Harry immediately felt immense intimidation as this man towered over his puny form.

Aberforth's aged eyes crinkled as a smile crossed his face. He crouched down so he was eye to eye with Harry. Harry stared mesmerized at how bright blue the elder's eyes were. They were almost like the sea itself.

"Harry?" Harry shook his head slightly as he focused on the whole man in front of him, curious at what the Summoner had to say. "Lulu has told me something that has surprised me greatly. I may have to change your curriculum for now until I'm done teaching you this."

Harry looked confusedly at him, "And what's that, Mr. Dumbledore?"

"That both of your parents were wizards. And that you are part of the famous Potter family, known to have also the famous Alexander Potter within the lineage; the one who had s_upposedly killed_ Voldemort at the age of one."

Harry lowered his head to hide his disappointment. Now that the man knew of his older twin, he would not teach him; he would teach his brother. Alex after all did seem the more worthy one to learn from Aberforth the art of Summoning (whatever that was) than Harry was. Harry tried to conceal his tears but still a few fell from his eyes.

"Harry?" Aberforth whispered worriedly. He had seen the tears and was perplexed about what had caused them.

Harry looked into Aberforth's face, his eyes a brighter hue of green as they overflowed with more tears. He held an extremely sad face that made him look much older than he actually was and this worried Aberforth greatly.

Aberforth set a gentle hand on Harry's shoulder. "Harry? Harry… what is wrong, child?"

Harry sniffed and he brought a sleeve to his face to dry his cheeks. "You d-don't want to t-teach me anymore, d-do you?" he asked miserably. He should have known not to get his hopes up. Nobody would ever see him for anything but the younger twin of the boy-who-lived, Alex Potter, theless important one…

Aberforth's eyes widened before they softened in understanding. He had an inkling that something like this had happened. Harry's parents must have neglected him in favor of taking better care of their other son, Alex. Aberforth could sort of understand Harry's feelings. He knew what it felt like to have a brother who seemed to be more important to the world than him. He had felt this same sort of jealousy and yearning to be as popular and famous as his older brother. But over the years he had gotten over it and he and his brother became the best of friends. Aberforth shook his head before he went too far down memory lane to focus back on the distraught youngster in front of him.

"That is utter nonsense, child." Harry's eyes widened at this statement.

"What?"

Aberforth gave him a warm smile, "Harry, I do not care about your past or who you're related to. And if you truly don't want to go home, I won't make you. This information has only given me an inclination to teach you something different before I teach you the art of Summoning."

Harry sniffed away his tear and let loose a sigh of wonderful relief. He thought of Aberforth's words and tilted his head in confusion. "And what's that?"

Aberforth's smile grew wider as he replied, "Magic."

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_Three Years __Later_

Peter Pettigrew was found in an alley by a young muggle couple who had been walking home from a dinner date, beaten half to death. He was surprisingly still conscious when foundand was most certainly not in his right mind as he kept muttering erratically as tears fell down his cheeks, "My lord… I have failed you… Forgive me my lord…" over and over again. The couple had to get him medical help. He was sent to the nearest muggle hospital for immediate medical attention. One of the nurses who worked there had been a witch, who had decided to work at a muggle-hospital and had also helped with the bandaging of Pettigrewandrecognized him right away from all of the wanted posters. As soon as she was free she went to the first fireplace she could find to alert the ministry of the known death eater's whereabouts. Some Ministry aurors were sent to the hospital by order of the Minister himself to make sure that what they had been told was true. After an identity check, they confirmed that the man was _the_ Peter Pettigrew, the one who had betrayed the Potter family for his master, Lord Voldemort, over seven years ago. Pettigrew was shipped off to a containment cell deep within the Ministry to not only heal but to also await his trial. The Minister agreed that they would not have the trial until Pettigrew was healed and was able to attend.

Pettigrew, being the coward he was, decided to delay the inevitable event in which he would be found guilty. He faked most of his ailmentsand even went as far as hurting himself so that his trial would be delayed further, but after a month, he was caught in the act. Fudge then decided that the trial could not be put off anymore, so they had it regardless of how well Pettigrew was.

The trial lasted exactly twenty minutes and of course, Peter was found guilty of every charge that was given to him. For his betrayal against the Potter Family and his part in the almost death of said family as well as being guilty for being a Death Eater, Pettigrew was given the Dementor's Kiss, which was given to him right in the courtroom.

When the verdict became public to the European populace, there were sounds of celebration everywherefor they believed that it was a right end for the coward. The family had had a small partywith their friends, to which all but Lupin who had been invited had attended. Lupin himself was relieved and happy to know that Pettigrew wouldn't be able to cause anymore trouble for anyone ever again. It helped to ease the pain. It was the only thing recently that had lifted his spirits just a tiny fraction, but he felt that there still was no reason to celebrate.

After all, last year was the year that the Ministry had decided to call off the search for Harrison James Potter. Lupin was forced to stop his searching as well after it started to horribly affect his health. Lupin still did not want give up hope. He just had this feeling that his godson was still alive and well. He was just somewhere that no one could find him; not even him.

'He would be eight by now. His birthday was a few months ago. Along with Alex's.'

Speaking of the Potter family…

Lily and James still seemed to be regretful of their actions and worried for their son, Harry, but they were putting up a happy front for their children.

In the three years of Harry's disappearance, the Potter's gained another son who wasnow three years old. He was born with his mother's auburn hair and his father's brown eyes. Unlike his older brother, who was a social butterfly, Layth Potter was a very shy boy who didn't really speak to people besides his parents and older brother. He usually just stayed with his mother when they went shopping instead of exploring with his eight-year-old brother, Alex.

And surprisingly enough, they had another one on the way. A girl, if Lupin could remember clearly. It looked like they were still going to go through with their choice of having a big family, despite it never being truly whole without their little Harrison with them.

'They finally appreciate him, although it is far too late for that. I just hope if he is ever found that Lily and James will finally treat him with the same love and care that they give to Alex.'

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An eight-year-old Harrison Potter was sitting on the dock of the Besaid Island port, looking into the vast oceanic horizon, truly wondering what else of Spira was out there. All around him, activity of putting storage onto a ship and getting the ship underway was happening. Harry stood up and looked at the huge ship before him. He just couldn't believe that he was finally going to see the world of Spira outside of Besaid. But after all, that was what his teacher had told him he needed.

Flashback (Two Week Ago)

"_Incendio!" Harry shouted, brandishing his wand at the azul flan that sat before him. The creature burst into flames and screeched in pain before decomposing into nothing but streams of light._

_Harry couldn't help but jump in joy as he finally was able to successfully cast the Incendio spell. His eyes glittered in happiness as he looked behind him to look at his teacher, wanting for his approval to see if he had done well._

"_Very well done, Harry!" Aberforth walked toward the young boy, stooping to his level. The boy had grown a few centimeters but was still small for his age of eight years old. Aberforth banished these thoughts to finish what he was going to say. "I think that you are ready."_

_Harry's face turned from happy to confusion, his head cocked to the side as he asked, "Ready for what?"_

"_Well, I have been seeing how well you have been learning under me for these three years now. You are far from being finished your magical education… but I think that it is about that__to start… branching out."_

"_What does that mean, Teacher?" Harry had long ago given Aberforth this name. After a few months, "Mr. Dumbledore" seemed too awkward to say all the time so by the age of six, Harry had settled on simply calling him "Teacher."_

"_I think that it's time you see the world of Spira outside this small island."_

_Harry's eyes widened in astonishment at this announcement, "R-really, Teacher?!"_

"_Yes."_

_Harry whooped in excitement and jumped into Aberforth's arms, the__old man chuckling before pulling the boy into a hug._

End of Flashback

Harry smiled at the memory. He looked down at the wand that was in a holster, strapped securely to his belt. It was really his wand; it had been Teacher's; but seeing as Teacher had his staff as a wonderful substitute, he gave his wand to Harry to learn spells until Harry got his own staff.

He took out from under his shirt a necklace. A simple necklace that had a silver wolf with amber jewels for eyes, kept together with single silver chain. It was still in beautiful condition, most likely magicked to stay unscratched and kept clean of rust. It would have seemed confusing to have some frivolous thing but even from the day that he had gotten it three years ago to this very day, it still held sentimental value in Harry's heart. He squeezed it in his hand as a small wave of sadness washed over him like the waves of the sea lapping against the shore.

He really did miss him. And there were times when he wished he could see his godfather again. But then he was reminded of what he would have to go through if he ever did return. His parents probably didn't even care that he was gone. They probably thought of the situation as if a large burden had been taken off their shoulders.

'_Well, they won't have to worry about that because I'm never going back there. Never…_' He squashed his sadness harshly to the back of his mind as he stuffed the necklace back under his shirt.

That's when he realized that his mother… his surrogate mother, Lulu, was walking towards him.

She still looked the same as she had three years ago. She treated Harry with motherly care, even scolding him when he did wrong. She had become so much like a how true mother should be that by the time Harry turned seven, he started calling her "Mother". Lulu didn't seem to mind much about the name; in fact she was quite touched that he would give her such a title and call her such so willingly.

Harry ran over to his mother and gave her as much of a hug as he could, as he was still quite small. He felt great warmth in his heart when Lulu returned his hug and his already visible smile grew larger in his happiness. He had never been happier with anyone (except for one) but Lulu, his mother.

Lulu pulled Harry in front of him as she bent down slightly to look Harry in the eyes. "The boat's almost ready to ship off. We should get going." She offered her hand, which Harry eagerly took and allowed Harry to lead her towards the stern. They walked to the top level of the S.S. Liki. Lulu sat on a crate and watched as Harry paced around, stopping frequently to look down at the deck or bow to watch the busy workmen as they prepped the ship or to look at the ocean view from as many different angles as he could.

Lulu was getting tired just watching him.

"Harry, sit down. The boat won't move any sooner if you keep moving around like that." Harry glanced at her before walking briskly to her side and sitting on another crate. His energy could not be lowered however as he started drumming the heels of his shoes against the side of the box, swinging his legs rapidly.

Lulu shook her head at her son's hyper behavior. "You're going to work yourself into a fit if you keep it up…" she said teasingly as she raised her sleeve to hide her smile.

"Oh but mother, I just can't help it!" Harry jumped off the crate and twirled around to look into his mother's red eyes. "I'm so excited! This will be the-"

"The first time you've ever left the island. Yes, I know."

Harry crossed his arms in a pout. "How did you know I was gonna say that?" He asked.

"You've been saying it nonstop for two whole weeks. It would be surprising if I didn't know what you were going to say."

Harry seemed to be giving this some thought before shrugging it off his mind. He had more important things to think about; like all the places that he wouldhave to see. One place that he was jumping to see was the famous Blitzball stadium in Luca. Wakka was constantly talking about the game and Harry had to admit, that after hearing of the rules and how it is played, he thought it had to be a very exciting game to watch. He couldn't wait to see for himself. Wakka had promised him that he would teach him how to play when he got older as well. That was another thing he was looking forward to.

Truthfully, Wakka and he had not got along at first. Scratch that, Wakka didn't like him at all. At first he thought of Harry as 'the brat that almost got them in jail' and avoided the boy as much as possible. But after witnessing a scene where Harry was playing with the other village children, he realized that Harry was a rather charming and sweet kid. After that Harry and Wakka had been good friends. Wakka was always teaching him about the game of Blitzball and Harry started to look at him as anolder brother (he was too immature to be seen as a father).

When Wakka had found out that Harry was leaving for Kilika and then going to Luca, he immediately volunteered to come on the trip. He had promised the kid that he would teach him to really play Blitzball; in a real Blitzball field.

Speak of the devil. Loud footsteps coming up the stairs alerted the two that someone was advancing. Fiery red hair came into view and they knew immediately who it was: Wakka.

"Ay, we ready to set sail?" He asked as he advanced towards Harry.

"You bet!" Harry yelled ecstatically. He pumped a fist into the air to emphasize his point.

"Now that's what I like to hear!" Wakka laughed. He glanced over at Lulu who still had her smiled covered. "What? You ain't ready to leave?"

Lulu returned her hand to her lap as she replied, "Oh I am. Trust me…"

Right at that moment, the aged figure of Dumbledore came up. "Ah… I knew I'd find you three up here."

"Teacher!" Harry exclaimed as he ran towards. He stopped a couple meters before and successfully gave the Yevonite prayer before rushing in to give the man a hug.

Lulu was watched proudly as Harry returned to her side. There weren't that many children Harry's age that knew how or had the patience to do the Yevonite Prayer but Harry had learned it within only a few months of starting his magical studies. Just more proof of how hard he had worked to get to this point.

She was interrupted from her thoughts as the boat gave a fierce jerk to symbolize that vessel was now moving. Harry jumped from the sudden movement before realizing that they were moving. He ran down the stairs and to the stern, avoiding the workers and other passengers as he sped by. He skidded to stop and lurched over the side to watch the waves of water and as they lapped against the front of the boat as it moved forward. He looked into the horizon, relishing in the feel of the wind hitting his face.

He smiled broadly, 'Kilika Island, here we come.'

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"Harry we're here. Time to wake up." Came his mother's whispered words in his ears. Harry cracked opened his eyes tiredly to look into bright red ones. Harry focused on his other's face as a whole to see her smiling at him.

He smiled up at her as he stretched where he lay. He looked out the cabin window and saw that it was a new sunny day. "Okay, I'm up." He murmured. Though as soon as those words left his mouth he rolled over and closed his eyes.

Lulu shook her head. "Come on, Harry. Don't you want to see Kilika Village? There's someone here I want you to meet."

Harry simply waved a hand lazily to show that he had heard before snuggling deeply into his warm sheets to gain more shut-eye.

Lulu huffed at the boy's behavior before grabbing at the sheets and ripping them roughly from his person.

Feeling the cold morning air breathe over him, Harry immediately curled his body for warmth. He cracked open a eye to see that the woman had taken the sheets from him and was standing a good distance away in case he tried to take them back. He sighed sullenly at the sleep that was robbed from him before crawling out his cot. He fell none-too-gracefully onto the floor before slowly rising to feet. He was still in the clothes that he had departed in so he simple put on his socks and shoes as Lulu watched. Lulu patiently waited for him as he got ready for the day and opened the door for him as they walked out of the cabin and walked upstairs to the deck.

The sun was high in the sky, showing Harry that it must be at least noon. 'Teacher let me sleep in.' He thought idly as he walked, his mother by his side, his hand in her hand.

They walked across the small drawbridge to the dock and that's when Harry got his first glimpse ofKilika Island.

It was small village, not that much different from Besaid. It sat on top of the water near the shore. It was made up of a lot of huts and was held up by nothing but man-made docks. Children played across these docks as if they were they weren't such an amazing thing to see. But for Harry, who had lived on land all his life, it was an incredible phenomenon never seen by him before.

Lulu looked down to see that Harry was struck speechless by the sight before him. She couldn't help but smile. After all these years,he was still as humble as ever when he sawnew things. She tapped his shoulderlightlyto get his attention, which she got right away after doing so. "Harry I'll be right back. I'm going to look for Wakka and your teacher. Just wait here a moment, okay?" she said.

Harry nodded swiftly before turning his gaze back to the village and the people walking through it. Lulu let go of his hand before walking away.

There was silence for the first few minutes of her absence in which Harry simply studied the entirety of his surroundings, trying to memorize every nook and cranny. He was so enthralled in his activities that he did not notice as a young girl with golden locks walked up behind him.

The girl stopped behind him and in a shushed voice spoke in his ear, "Boo."

Harry jumped in frightbefore brandishing his wand and pointing it right in the girl's face. The girl focused her green swirly eyes at the wand pointed at her nose. She couldn't help but giggle at the seemingly normal stick before pushing it from pointing at her face to the floor. "Hello to you, too." She giggled again she watched the boy put the wand back up his sleeve.

"How's a stick 'sposed to hurt me?" The girl asked. She crossed her arms and looked at the boy incredulously.

Harry looked down at his shoes, trying to avoid contact with girl. He was still incredibly shy when it came to meeting new people. Actually, he was quite withdrawn with most people except with his mother, his teacher, and Wakka. "It's not a stick. It's a wand." He mumbled under his breath, yet somehow the girl could hear him loud and clear. At the word of it being a wand, the girl squealed excitedly.

"A wand?! Well, that must mean you know magic. You're a wizard right. That could only be the reason why you have a wand, right? Wow! We don't get a lot of those anywhere nowadays. And I should know since I travel all the time with my dad! Where ya from? Why ya in a tiny village like this? How old are you?" The girl's mouth started to run 60 miles per hour in her excitement and Harry could barely keep up with her.

Harry tried to answer as many questions as he could though, "I-I'm from B-Besaid Island. My teacher is visiting someone from here so he took me along. I-I'm eight…"

"You're eight?! Me too! I'm Rikku by the way." She seemed to calm a fraction as she introduced herself, "What's your name?"

"H-Harry." Harry learned a long time ago that not many people in Spira had a last name, or if they did they didn't use it much, so he decided that he would not use his when asked his name. Rikku offered her hand and Harry shook it slowly before quickly letting go.

As Harry looked up, he noticed that Rikku wasn't like any of the girls on Besaid. Unlike most girls, where he saw them usually wearing a robe and sandals, she wore a pair of battle trousers and shirt with simple dark brown boots. She looked like she was dressed to just have adventure after adventure. She was a fairly pretty girl with tanned skin and sun-kissed hair that fell to her shoulders. Two colorful pins held one side of bangs from her face. She had a big cheerful grin on her face as she simply jumped and bubbled with happiness and joy. The thingthat captivated Harry the most about her were her eyes. They were a shade of forest green that seemed to have power swirling in their depths.

She seemed to be special compared to the people that Harry hadmet and before he could stop himself, he asked, "What are you?" he winced at how that came out, but the girl didn't seem to mind.

"I'm Al Bhed." She frowned and gave him a wary look, "But I probably shouldn't be telling you this. You're not anAl Bhed-hater, are you?"

Harry's eyes widened at the accusatory question before he spluttered out an answer, "H-how can I h-hate something I know nothing about?! What's an Al Bhed?"

Rikku looked around nervously before beckoning him to come closer, which Harry did willingly. She put a hand to her mouth and whispered in his ear, "It's a special race in Spira. There aren't that many of us compared to the rest Spira, though."

Harry backed away, "That's sounds cool, but why would I hate you for being an Al Bhed?"

"Because lots of people hate us."

"But why?" Harry asked earnestly, honestly wanting to know why Rikku's people were hated. Rikku seemed like a very nice person and was bright as the sun. Why would someone hate someone like her?

Rikku was about to answer when the deep bellow of a man broke out close by, "**Drana oui yna, Rikku! E fyc muugehk vun oui! Ur, yht E caa oui'ja ymnayto syta y vneaht!**"

Rikku looked around and her eyes landed on a man that was walking towards them, Harry's Teacher walking right next to him. Rikku eyes lit up at the sight of him and yelled ecstatically, "**Byby!**" She ran towards the man to envelopehim in a quick hug before letting goand rambleoff in that strange language. Harry had never heard anything like it. "**…sykel yht rec hysa'c Harry yht ra'c so yka!**" Rikku stopped momentarily so this man could seemingly appraise Harry's appearance in silence. Harry instantly felt self-conscious as he was being studied.

The man smirked at the boy's shyness, before looking Aberforth and saying, "**Cu drec ec ouin ybbnahdela?**"

Aberforth smiled proudly down at Harry before responding fluently in whatever language they were speaking, "**Oac, ra ec.**"

The man's smirk turned into a full grown mischievousgrin before saying, "**Clnyfho meddma nihd, yeh'd ra?**" He chuckled throatily at whatever he said while Rikku's cheeks puffed up in irritation.

"**ByBy! Dryd'c hud hela!**" she yelled indignantly (Harry was thoroughly confused by this point).

"**Frydajan. Ed'c hud mega ra lyh ihtancdyht ic. Lyh ra, Aberforth?**" he said replied as he turned once again to Aberforth, seeming to want an answer.

"**Hu ra tuac hud, Cid. Pid E tu bmyh uh daylrehk res. E zicd teth'd drehg ra fuimt saad oui ihdem silr mydan.**"

Rikku scoffed at whatever Harry's teacher had said before turning back to Harry and speaking in English again, "Harry, this is my Papa, Cid. Don't mind him. He's just being rude."

"Huh?" Harry said confusedly, obviously not getting anything out of that conversation.

"Oh yeah you can't speak Al Bhed yet. Don't worry. You'll learn it soon enough." Shesaid with an encouraging smile.

"Wait," Harry said, "Didn't you just say that the Al Bhed were a race of people?"

"Yes I did, but we also have our own language. We call that Al Bhed, too."

Harry mouth formed a 'o' as he finally understood. So they were speaking Al Bhed, a language that he had yet to learn… and Rikku's father had said something rude about him according to Rikku… Wait… What!

"What did he say about me?!" Harry blurted out as he looked at the man in question.

Before Rikku could answer the man yelled, "That you're a scrawny little runt! That's what I said!" He puffed out his chest arrogantly as he continued, "What are you gonna do about it, pipsqueak?" He looked down at Harry with a daring smirk.

At the question, Harry's immediately looked down at his shoes, truly not wanting to cause any trouble so early in his visit in this new place. He couldn't really argue with him either. He was rather small, although heloathed admitting it. He hadn't really grown much in these three years, maybe a few centimeters, but that was all. 'I _am_ a pipsqueak…' Harry let out a forlorn sigh at this thought and looked more depressed than before.

"Papa! _Leave him alone_!" Rikku shrieked leaving her father's side to join Harry. As Rikku attempted to cheer the distraught lad up, Aberforth began to speak quietly to Cid.

"**Oui cruimt naymmo hud tu dryd, Cid. Ra ec uhmo lremt yht rec camv-acdaas ec nydran muf.**" He admonished lightly.

Cid scoffed and said, "**Famm, fruca vyimd ec dryd?**"

Aberforth's face became very grave as he replied, "**Rec bynahdc'…**"

That wiped the smirk off of Cid face and he looked at the boy, who had gotten over his despair and was now happily chatting with his daughter. His face grew serious as he studied the two interacting with another, as he could not think of a retort to Aberforth words.

Aberforth sighed as he looked at his friend, "**Muug... E crymm daylr res Al Bhed frah E kad dra lryhla. Oui haat hud funno.**"

That when Lulu appeared once again. "There you are. I've been looking for you two everywhere." Her voice drew the attention of everyone present. Harry's eyes lit up at the sight of her and ran to her in almost the same fashion that Rikku had done to Cid. The two shared a short hug before it was interrupted by the same bellowing voice of Cid.

"Ah Lulu! My voluptuous beauty! I see that the years have done nothing to your wonderful figure!"

Lulu frowned at the man and with a roll of her eyes said, "Hello, Cid."

"I see that you know little Harry."Hesaid sweetly.

Lulu glanced at Harry before smirking knowingly at Cid, "Why wouldn't I know him? I am his surrogate mother after all."

Cid seemed taken aback. Lulu had never seemed like the kind of person to care for a child. To let one call her "mother" was surely a big surprise. "Harry's your son?!"

"I adopted him three years ago so yes, he is my son." She rubbed the top of Harry's head affectionately.

Cid stumbled on his surprise as he said, "W-well, ya haven't met my daughter yet, have you?"

"Another one, Cid?" Lulu responded exasperatedly. She knew for a fact that he had at least nine boys. She also knew that Cid's wife had died at least six years ago from a machina accident. How could they have had another one in such short time?

"Well, ya know… Tetra and I had always wanted a girl. So we were gonna keeping trying til we got one." He chuckled and continued, "Lulu, I want ya to meet my daughter, Rikku."

Lulu turned to see a girl that was looking right up at her with a big smile on her face. 'She looks just like her mother…" She thought casually before saying, "Hello, Rikku." The little girl'ssmile was contagious and before she knew it, Lulu was smiling herself (albeit a small one).

"Hello Miss Lulu! You're very pretty!" The girl giggled and she started to fidget where she stood, obviously not used to standing in one place for too long.

"Why, thank you Rikku. That was very nice. You're obviously not anything like your father." Rikku disintegrated into peals of giggles at the joke at her father's expense and Lulu chortled lightly. Harry's smiled at the female's laughter.

"Hey hey hey!" Cid yelled, "Don't make fun of me!" He was ignored by the two girls as they just laughed harder. He turned his back on the two girls and sulked in silence.

Aberforth laughed lightly at his friends behavior before announcing, "This was rather fun but, I think it's time for us to go. How long are you two staying, Cid?"

"Just a few more days."

"Ah that's good, then Harry and Rikku can play another day then. We were planning on showing Harry almost all of Kilika Island anyway. See you then. Goodbye Rikku." And with that, Aberforth boarded the ship.

Taking the hint that it was probably time for Harry's studies, she extended her hand, which Harry took and started to lightly lead him to the ship. "Goodbye Rikku, Cid."

Harry looked back at Rikku as he got farther from her and shouted, "Yeah, see ya Rikku! Bye Mr. Cid!" Rikku returned the goodbye and ran off to play with someone else while Cid followed her.

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**End of Chapter**

AN: Wow. That was long. It was gonna be longer, but for my beta's sake (and mine). I decided to cut it off here and save it for the next chapter. I hope you like how I incorporated Rikku in the story. She'll play a bigger part so don't worry Rikku fans, you'll see more of her next chapter.

I'd like to thank Tishannia for betaing this chapter of mine. I'd also like to apologize for the torture I put her through by making her put up with all of my various grammar, punctuation, and tense mistakes, as well as my mistypes. Thanks agiain.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: I know I know. I'm dead. I haven't updated anything in a while. My computer had been tripping and earlier in the summer and it caused me to accidentally delete all my files. My fanfic files anyway. And I had a back up file but it was at school and I wasn't able to get to it until soccer preseason and then my computer officially shut down for good so there was no way to do any writing until school started again so here I am. I probably could have done some prep writing before but I had a summer job and soccer preseason to do so… no way. Also junior year is keeping me right busy so that's why this came so late. I had been working on a chapter Ebony, but then when I saw that a lot of people were waiting on this, I stopped working on it to write this so you're welcome. And sorry again for the wait.**

**Six months later: I got a laptop for Christmas so now I can write more often.**

**Oh by the way. More Al Bhed in this chapter so get your translators ready. I have one on my profile that's way easy to use. POA!**

Disclaimer: I don't own them so stop asking.

"Talk"

'Thought'

"**Al Bhed**"

A Summoner's Sadness

**Chapter 5**

Harry awoke from his slumber as he felt something heavy and soft land on top of him.

"**Rammu, Harry**!" the thing shouted.

Harry groaned at the loss of air to his lungs as he opened his eyes. A moment later his vision regained its sight and was greeted with golden locks. A few second later the thing on his body shifted as he was greeted with the face of his newly acquired friend, Rikku. And once again she was speaking the strange language of the Al Bhed people. But by guessing, he would have to say that it was greeting of some sort.

"Morning Rikku. Nice to see you again." He wheezed, as the lack of oxygen to his lungs was taking its toll on his body, "Uh… Rikku could you get off me? I can't breathe…"

"Oh! Whoops, sorry Harry." She instantly leaped off him and landed gracefully on her small feet. She turned towards Harry and smiled at him cheerfully as he groggily dragged himself out of his cot. "How's it goin?" she asked, the traditional glint of mischief in her swirling green eyes. Harry couldn't understand how she could be so cheerful so early in the morning when he could barely keep his own eyes open. He gave a huge yawn, which Rikku giggled at. "Fine, I guess," was his muffled replied, "Why are you here?" He looked out the porthole of his cabin and saw that the sun had barely risen over the sea sight. The sky was only slightly alight by the sun's rays. "And so early too?" He yawned again to prove his point.

"Well… I just thought you would just like to play with me today, that's all." She said innocently.

"But why so early." Harry repeated.

Rikku seemed to be in thought before he she answered with, "Well aren't you going to be doing something with Lord Aberforth later? You won't have time to play then, silly!" She giggled again with her bubbly joy.

Harry couldn't help but stare at her as he tried to make what she had said make sense. After a moment he simple shrugged it off and crawled out of bed. Although he had forgotten how small his cot was as he fell right over the edge onto his face. Rikku disintegrated into a fit of laughter at the scene before offering hand to help him up, which Harry grudgingly took as he rubbed his nose. Rikku dragged Harry outside onto the deck and led him onto Kilika Port. They played for a little while and soon were joined by the other village children. As the sun rose higher in the sky, the entire village began to hustle and bustle about as adults began to walk about doing grownup things. Men at the ports began to place cargo onto merchant boats and Harry and Rikku watched in amazement as the boats shipped off one after another, going who-knows-where as they disappeared into the aqautic horizon. The two soon left the group of children to their games and decided to just sit and watch the seamen do their work.

Then Rikku said, "Hey wanna do something cool?" And she seemed to beexcited as she was bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"What?" Harry asked.

Rikku beamed, "Come on!" She grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet. She began to drag him the start of a forest. Harry tried to see what was beyond it but could discern nothing from where he stood. "What's that?" he questioned.

"That, Harry, is Kilika Forest. On the other side of it is the Kilika Temple, where Summoners go to gain an Aeon during their pilgrimage… if they can survive the dangers of the forest, of course." Rikku answered.

"Dangers?" Harry asked he looked at Rikku with slight alarm at the prospect.

"Of course! There are tons of fiends just creeping around. But that's what makes it twice as fun." She smiled as she said this, which gave Harry the shivers. She seemed to burst from her thoughts as she reclaimed Harry's hand and pulled him into the forest. "Come on!" she exclaimed.

Harry desperately began to pull back, obviously not wanting to go into the forest. "What! Rikku, we can't! It's unsafe." Rikku paused in her tugging to look Harry in the face.

She gave him a weird look as she said, "So? It's not like you won't be in danger at any point of you life, so why not start now!" Seeing that Harry still wasn't convinced. She said "Look. Think of it this way, you're going to be Summoner one day, right?" With a nod from Harry she continued her thesis, "Then why not practice now trying to get through the forest. Just think, if you can make it through right now, you'll definitely be able to do it when you officially become one."

Harry thought of her words and he had to admit, they did make sense. This would be a perfect time to prove to Teacher how much he had grown since he started teaching.

With a determined look on his face he said, "Ok. Let's go." And they ran into the forest's depths, not truly knowing of the threats that lay ahead.

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Lulu was on the top deck of the S.S. Liki, sitting in a lounge chair and leisurely watching the sunset as she drank a hearty cup of herbal tea. It was quite peaceful with a gentle breeze flowing around her. She always loved these moments where she could be kept alone and simply relax without interruption. Ever since Harry had become a part of her family those moments had become too few and too far between, but for some reason the peace and quiet part usually seemed to come even when Harry was near her. It seemed as if Harry sometimes appreciated his peace just as much she appreciated her own. No, it was usually because Wakka was always walking in to "borrow him" for something. No one could ever say that she never liked her silence…

"Lulu." A voice raised her from her thoughts. She looked over to see that it was Aberforth that had spoken to her. After seeing that he had gotten her attention, he smiled warmly.

"Lord Aberforth," she said in recognition. Immediately, she gently placed her tea beside her and stood to face him. She bowed slightly in respect before straightening and asked, "What brings you here?"

Abe chuckled softly as he replied with, "Nothing much, I just simply wondered if I could trouble you by asking if you knew where my pupil could have gone."

Lulu was silent before she answered, "I'm not sure. Harry was no where to be found when I woke up this morning so I believe that he and Rikku went out to play somewhere."

"Oh. I thought so. Thank you, Lulu." Abe began to walk towards the dock and Lulu decided to follow after him as she asked, "Do you need Harry for some reason, Lord Aberforth?"

"Not greatly, no, but I did want to start his Al Bhed lessons and maybe later take him to the Kilika Temple. He seemed quite interested when I first mentioned it to him."

They walked onto the dock in the village and spoke of other things until Cid suddenly came running up to them from nowhere. The two gave him weird looks as they watched the poor man grab his knees to catch his breath.

"**Abe… Lulu…**" he panted. "He finally stood up to look at them and they were surprised by his panicked expression.

"**Abe. Lulu. Ryja oui caah Rikku un Harry yhofrana?**"

"**Hu fa ryja hud. Fro?**" Abe said for the both of them.

"**E ryja muugat ajanofrana vun druca dfu yht ryjah'd caah reta hun dyem uv aedran.**" He looked at the ground in frustration.

"**Frana luimt drao ryja kuha?**" Lulu asked more to herself than to the others.

"**E tuh'd ghuf,**" Cid answered as he scratched his head in irritation. "**Drao luimt pa yhofrana-**" He paused in his speech when a thought abruptly came to him.

"**Cid? Cid, Fryd'c fnuhk?**" Lulu asked, concerned about the usually goofy man's sudden serious disposition.

"**E ryja y vaamehk E ghuf frana drao fahd.**"

"**Frana?**" She inquired.

"**Kilika Forest.**"

All were silent at that name before Abe simply stated, "**Mad'c ku,**" as he gripped his staffed fiercely in his hands.

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"I think we're lost." Harry stated nonchalantly for the tenth time as he followed behind Rikku, his hands folded behind his head as they walked past a familiar tree for the third time. He had been ignoring the small blonde girl's signs of anger as he continued to annoy her. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore, as she swirled around to face Harry with a furious expression on her face, "For the last time… WE ARE NOT LOST!!!" At the volume of her voice the forest stirred to life as flying creatures flew from the nearby trees into the open air above. She yelped in fright as the creatures squawked loudly as they flew.

She regained her senses to see Harry looking at her with a knowing grin on his face. She growled in anger and hit him hard on the arm. "Ow!"

"That was for being a know-it-all." She sniffed disdainfully as she took in their surroundings. "Like I told you… we're not lost. I know exactly where we are. We're going straight to Kilika Temple. Just a little bit farther…"

Rubbing his sore arm gingerly, Harry asked, "Really? Are you sure? I mean, we have been walking for a while now and I'm sure Mother and Teacher are wondering where I am…"

"Don't worry about that, Harry! Just follow me. I'll get us out of here in no time."

However as time progressed, Harry's faith in Rikku's navigation skills began to diminish and, before long, Harry started to worry if they would ever get out this seemingly endless forest

"Rikku, I think we're lost." This time, instead of with sarcasm attached with the statement, Harry said this with a fearful face as he started to fiddle with his finger as he waited for Rikku to respond. "Rikku?"

Rikku looked worried herself, but she tried to play it off with a smile, as she said, "Of course not, Harry I know where we are, don't worry… We're… we're…" Rikku bit her lip as she looked around more. The sun was beginning to set and the forest began to become darker and harder to see. With a defeated sigh she finished with, "Lost."

They were shaken from their thoughts as a monstrous roar, followed by the ground shaking as something landed heavily behind them. They spun around in surprise to see a giant plant monster, which was easily twenty times their size. The monster looked like a disfigured, un-bloomed flower with a face on the front. From the top of its head arose many tentacles that flailed wildly through the air. The monster gave another roar as the tentacles began to come towards them.

"Woah!!" Harry yelled in surprise. With a flick of his wrist his wand shot out of its holster into his hand. He stood at ready as Rikku began to pull small round things from her pants pockets. Harry aimed his wand at a set of tentacles that were closest to him and yelled, "Petrificus Totalus!" The tentacle's instantly straightened and lied uselessly on the ground. Rikku threw one of the mysterious orbs in her hands at the body of the beast. Less than a moment later, an explosion erupted from its base, causing it to give an unearthly screech in pain and fury. Its appendage began to swing furiously through the air, causing many trees to be cut down and fall to the ground. Rikku and Harry gasped in shock as they jumped out of the way of a tree that was falling dangerously close to them, covering their ears to desperately block out the deafening sound. Then they noticed the pain did not seem to hugely deter the monster as its tentacle restarted their quest for the two children.

Harry tried to warsd them off as best as he could, but ,seeing as he had never had this kind of field experience before in the art of practical fighting, he was most certainly fighting a losing battle. As he shot an incendio spell at another of the tentacles that flew out of the seemingly endless pack, he heard from behind him, "Harry! Watch out!" But it was too late to react, a limb came out of nowhere to snatch his wand viciously from his hand, he turned just in time to his only weapon being tossed haphazardly into the thicket of surrounding forest.

He heard a frantic scream from Rikku once again and swirled around to see her captured by an appendage and being carried over to the beast's mouth. "Harry! Help!" She said as she struggled for her life.

'_Rikku-!_' He thought as his mind was filled with unbearable panic for his first friend's life.

Ignoring the fact that the only thing that he brought to protect himself was thrown who-knows-where, he ran recklessly into the flurry of the tentacles, trying to urgently reach Rikku. Suddenly, he felt a white hot shot of pain spread through his abdomen and then the feeling of having the air knocked out of him extend through him as a tentacle flew out of the bunch and batted him away as if he was nothing more than a fly. Harry flew through the air until he collided excruciatingly hard into the hard trunk of a tree. He let out a groan as the familiar pain from earlier spread from his back to his his limbs. He slid to the ground and sat lifelessly like rag doll. A warm liquid slid down his forehead, creating a trail all the way to his chin. He could only guess that it was his blood.

He could still hear screaming, most likely Rikku's, but it sounded so muffled compared to the pain that he was feeling right then. In it's disfiguration, he could not tell if she was screaming for his predicament or for hers. He knew that he should try to get up and try again to help her… but, for some reason, he could not find the strength. He was so tired. His vision began to blur as black spots began to appear…

Then another sound was heard, it was a scream much louder than Rikku's had been. It was more inhuman sounding so he assumed it belonged to the fiend. Harry reluctantly raised his sore neck to see a blurry green blob thrashing wildly. No color of a golden hair could be seen. Rikku must have gone somewhere. He just hoped it wasn't in the monster's stomach. He heard a familiar female voice shout some muffled words before red erupted from the base of the green blob. Another screech was heard before the beast disintegrated in shining, shimmering balls of light to ascended into the sky. They looked like twinkling stars in the night sky and he yearned to watch the scene a bit longer and to find out who was his savior. Harry fought to keep his eyes open just a bit longer to see who had saved them, but he was failing miserably. The last thing he saw before descending into the comforting darkness was pair of blue orbs looking worriedly at him and then he knew nothing.

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"_Harry…? Harry…? Can… he-… me…? Harry!_"

These were the first sounds that Harry heard as he awoke from his pained slumber. The first thing that he was aware of was the throbbing feeling that was spreading throughout if his body, especially his head. His head throbbed ferociously without mercy. His fingers and toes twitched as he groaned and whimpered at the constant soreness.

"Harry… Are you awake? Harry!" This time the voice became much clearer, but he was too distracted to recognize whom it was that was talking.

He felt a cold hand on his cheek and he sighed at the relief that it brought against his fevered skin. The hand seemed to sense that it was needed as it began to stroke his cheek gently.

"Harry… try to open your eyes." The voice whispered next to him. He finally was able to recognize the deep vibrato that still held the lightness of a woman's voice. It could only belong to one person.

"Mother…?" he mumbled as he cracked his eyes open. He saw a blurry figure of a face: a mixture of alabaster white, crimson red, and night black.

"Yes, Harry, it's me. How are you feeling?" The hand on his cheek moved to caress his neck and he felt his bed shift as Lulu moved closer to him.

"Hurts…" He simply said and he certainly wasn't lying. He had never felt this bad in his life.

He felt something pressed to his lips before liquid spilled onto them. He unconsciously sealed his mouth the invading substance until her heard his mother speak, "Drink this, little one. It should help ease the pain."

Harry obeyed the command and reluctantly opened his mouth. The potion was swallowed, and it slowly slid down his sore throat, leaving behind a clean and minty aftertaste. Second later his body began to feel better than it had before. He sighed again in gratitude.

He heard a little chuckle, "Feeling better?'

He nodded, and then he felt himself being lifted up to sit against the wall. His vision began to clear by the effect of the potion and he was able to see Lulu's pleased yet concerned face looking back at him.

"Need anything else?" She asked. Right then, Harry was aware of his sore throat the potion failed to help him with his thirstiness.

"Water please." He rasped. Lulu held up a glass to his mouth and he drank greedily from it, before pulling away. A strange tiredness overcame him and he stifled a yawn with his working arm.

Lulu chucked again as she asked plainly, "Tired?"

Harry merely nodded as he felt his eyelids slide shut. He was slowly lowered onto the bed and then gently tucked under the sheet. He heard Lulu whisper, "I'll be back to bring you something to eat." He made a small sound of acknowledgment. He felt a pair of lip fall on his gauze-covered forehead before he drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

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Harry woke up again, but, this time light shined through the window telling him that it was some time of day. He had regained some energy. He sat up and, once again, minutes later, Lulu came back inside but, this time, Aberforth was behind her. She noticed him awake and proceeded to turn right around and leave the room. After seeing Harry's confused expression, Abe clarified, "She's simply getting you something to eat."

A minute later Lulu returned holding a tray that carried a bowl of steaming soup, a bottle of green potion, and a cup of water. She placed it onto a table that sat beside Harry's bed. Abe watched as she pulled up a stool to sit on before quietly giving Harry the potion and then the glass of water to drink. She was just about to feed him the soup when Abe grabbed her arm to stop her.

"Lulu, would you mind if I spoke to Harry for a few moments." Lulu was about to object, but he said, "Do not worry. I shall only be a minute." All Lulu could do was sigh in defeat before she once again left the room without a word.

Abe waited a moment before he began to speak, "Now Harry," he paused as he sat on the stool with a tired sigh. At that moment, Harry noticed that his Teacher seemed to have aged a decade in only a few days, as he looked down at his damaged person. He looked far more tired. He stumbled from his thoughts as Aberforth spoke, "Rikku told me what happened," At the sight Harry's eyes sparking with fear at those words, fearing the worst, but the elder sought to placate his anxiety, "Do not fret, child. You are not going to be punished. I remember when I had been a young apprentice like you and I had always been eager for adventure. I have my own share of scars from many a danger and I was nowhere as young as you when I was first learning magic and the art of Summoning. All I can ask you is that the next time you wish to go exploring, have an experienced other working beside you until Lulu or I believe that you are ready to go alone. You and Rikku could have been killed if we hadn't come in time."

Harry looked at his lap in shame of his foolishness. Abe grabbed the small appendage to gain the youngster's attention. "Harry, you have to remember that despite all the magic that you know right now and you are still only a child. An inexperienced one at that. You can't do everything on your own. It's okay to ask for help every once in a while. Do not worry. We will make sure you gain the practice as time moves on." Harry looked him in the eyes and gave the man a watery smile. He brought a sleeve to wipe his wet eyes and sniffed lightly to fight off anymore tears. Abe watched the boy before he decided to move on to another subject.

"Now moving on…" He reached into his sleeve to pull out a familiar object, showing it to Harry.

"My wand!" Harry exclaimed in surprise and elation to find that it hadn't been damaged in anyway.

"Rikku told me that you had lost this in the confusion so I thought I should return it to you." He placed it beside the tray of food. He smiled brightly again before standing with a grunt and walking over to the door. He stopped his hand before it reached the knob. "Oh and by the way. I'm thinking that I might need to get someone to you teach hand-to-hand combat as well as weaponry combat. As you can see, I am far too old for such lessons. You can't always rely on that wand or a staff, now can you?" And with that, he left.

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It took Harry a week to recover from his injuries, and everyday Rikku came with her father in tow to visit him… and to apologize. She blamed herself for his injuries since it had been her idea to go into the forest. She felt so bad she shut couldn't help but apologize over and over again. By the fourteenth time that Harry had forgiven her and she still wouldn't shut up he had had just about enough. Harry threatened to strangle her with his own gauze if she didn't stop, which only worked in making the girl giggle hysterically, but she, luckily, stopped her behavior afterward.

Only a day after his recovery did Aberforth decide that it was time to move on to the next destination. Rikku seemed to fly into a panic when she heard that Harry was leaving her and she simply refused to say goodbye…

On the day of their imminent departure, Harry was sitting in his room on his cot as he read studiously from a book that he had been given from his teacher, taking a note here and there as he examined its information. It was a book about the defensive and offensive aspects of physical fighting. He was interrupted, however, when a loud pounding came from the other side of the door, and then another. Finally, a third pound was heard before the door gave and it swung opened, snapping against the nearby wall with a noisy bang. There before him stood Rikku, her foot poised in the air, showing that she had obviously kicked the door ajar. Ignoring her slightly loud entrance she stomped into the room with a determined face and yanked the book right out of the surprised Harry's fingers. She threw it randomly to the side, and that's when Harry chose to react.

"Rikku, what the heck-!"

"Quiet maggot! From now on you're gonna do what I say, when I say it, got it!"

"What! Rikku, what are you talking-!"

"QUIET!"

Rikku stepped away from him and then gave him a heated look before announcing, "From now on, I'm gonna teach you how to _really_ fight."

Harry eyes widened at this declaration. He could have sworn he had misheard her.

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End of Chapter

AN: Sorry for taking so long. I finally got myself to sit down during a study and finish this since I had nothing else to do. The next story I'm writing a chap for will be "A sword soaked In blood" so look out for that. And sorry again for the long, long wait, I know exactly how you feel and I don't like it either. Ciao!

Also a special thanks to my beta, Yllom21. And to apologize for my many writing mistakes.


	6. Chapter 6

AN: I know I shouldn't have this up but I need advice and now. Please read.

Even though I said that won't be a slash story (or at least in my head I did. Can't remember if I actually wrote or not), I might just be making it that. This would be my first slash story and although at first I thought I would be able to do a gay pairing justice. I have been reading nothing slash story from other people for the last month and right I am so stuck on the idea of making this slash. With whom, I shall not tell yet but I do have possible candidates in mind for little Harry.

Please review on this chapter and tell me what you think. Don't worry and chapter for this story will be coming out hopefully sometime in September. I'm still working on an ASSIB chapter.

You feedback would be much appreciated. Thank you.

This will be up until the next the chapter is up so you have a little more than a month to reply.


	7. Chapter 8

AN: Hello again after so long. I'm really sorry, I've left you all so high and dry for so long. The worst part is: I don't really have an excuse so I won't make one. But I have good news, I'm going back very soon to writing more chapters for these stories. Believe it or not, I did have a basic skeleton for the plots of each of my stories, I just never got around to finishing them due to other responsibilities, and then became MORE of a videogame fiend and so did that whenever I had any free time (along with reading tons of fanfiction myself) so just didn't back into. I was also a little discouraged when a chapter that I had written 8 pages on was gone forever and couldn't work up the motivation to finish… But anyway! I hope to have a new chapter up for at least half of them before the summer is up, and during college… well let's see what happens. Having major in communication with a TRIPLE MINOR in English, art history, and theatre can make a girl PRETTY busy, but I'll see what I can do. Hopefully, you guys aren't TOO pissed with me and you can personally thank Beloved Daughter who wrote me a bit of good constructive criticism that caught me in a good move and motivated me FINALLY to restart up this hobby.

Anyway, besides this misleading AN, I also wanted to post something up for everyone to get involved in tomorrow. Here it is. Viva la resistance!

There is a scheme brewing up with the FF staff and they're planning to take down any and every story over the M rated section (stories with yaoi, yuri, het lemons, song based stories, extreme violence, etc) ...

So on June 23rd, there will be an official Black Out. Authors will not log in, read, or review stories. Those who do not have accounts are also affected by FF's decisions too. Please participate and spread the news! If enough authors take part in this event, FF will know we mean business. Also, if anybody has any information on when this purging on M-rated fics will be please contact me. I would like to know in advance.

SPREAD THE WORD!

copy and paste this into your story updates, communities and forums

thanks


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